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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26018401">The Parseltongue Twins: Year Two</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackholebabey/pseuds/blackholebabey'>blackholebabey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the parseltwins [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dark Harry Potter, Dark Hermione Granger, Gen, Good Severus Snape, Hogwarts Second Year, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Ravenclaw Hermione Granger, Sane Voldemort (Harry Potter), Slytherin Harry Potter, Voldemort is Harry Potter's Parent, Voldemort is Hermione Granger's Parent, nagini is just a snake, the dark is pretty chill and good actually</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:54:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>83,200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26018401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackholebabey/pseuds/blackholebabey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Lestrange twins return for their second year at Hogwarts, but much like their first year, things aren't about to go according to plan. How will they survive a conniving Albus Dumbledore, an obvious fraud of a Defense professor, and a legendary chamber that's said to contain a murderous beast?</p><p>Second installment of the Parseltongue Twins series.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Rodolphus Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, they're twelve - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the parseltwins [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849585</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1155</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1942</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i regret to inform you that i still don't own harry potter, even if i <i>do</i> deserve it more than that bigot jk rowling</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was an hour past curfew, but Slytherin prefect Tom Riddle was not in the dorms. Instead, he was skulking about a corridor on the second floor with his most respected accomplice. The two of them were on a most important mission, one that would secure their place in the wizarding world for decades to come. No one would ever dare look down on them for their blood status ever again. All they had to do was find a chamber that had been supposedly lost to time.</p><p>His accomplice’s arm swung out abruptly, hitting him in the ribs and stopping him from going any further. He glared at the arm, and then at the person it belonged to, but his accomplice paid him no mind.</p><p>“If my research is correct, and I’m certain that it is,” she announced with barely tolerable levels of smugness, “then the original version of this room was at one point the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.”</p><p>Tom knew he should have been impressed. He was mere feet from the legacy of the great Salazar Slytherin, a legacy that was owed to him by blood and birthright. This was his inheritance, the weight of his ancestor’s secret and the uncontested superiority over others that came with it. More power than could have ever come from his nearly squib mother. More prestige than the worthless last name handed down to him by his filthy muggle father. And yet—</p><p>“Myrtle, with all due respect, this is the girls’ toilets.”</p><p>“Yes, I can see that,” came Myrtle’s snippy reply. “My eyes do work under these glasses, you know.”</p><p>Myrtle Warren—a sixth year Ravenclaw and muggle-born—was an overly emotional girl with glasses too big for her face and a voice too shrill for her age. She was plain in appearance and not at all charming, but her unpredictable, chaotic nature pulled Tom in like a moth to a flame. </p><p>He still remembered the first time he’d met her. It was only a few weeks in to their first year, and the Slytherins were already gossipping about the strange girl in Ravenclaw. They disparaged her looks, her lack of a wizarding surname, and her bold rudeness. And yet, despite their clear dislike of the girl, there was an undercurrent of fear in their voices when they spoke of her.</p><p>She wore a Dark artefact around her neck, or so they claimed, and anyone who asked about it was regaled with a tale of a man tortured to death in a ritual to purify the souls of his followers. A wreath of thorns place atop his head. Nails driven into his hands and feet as his bloodied body was secured to two wooden beams. A spear in his side. Left to die alone and in agony, forsaken by his father. The symbol of that brutal murder hung from a slim chain so that she could always carry its memory with her.</p><p>Tom had to fight not to laugh hysterically when he’d heard. These stupid purebloods were terrified of a simple crucifix necklace and the story of Jesus Christ. Myrtle Warren wasn’t Dark or dangerous at all. She was Catholic.</p><p>Afterwards, he sought her out to congratulate her on her clever trick. She’d laughed too loud and  for too long at how effective her plan of scaring off her would-be tormentors had been, and asked if Tom would be kind enough to back up any claims she made about growing up in a cult that consumed the blood and flesh of their tortured savior (the eucharist sounded terrifying when she put it like that). He eagerly agreed. If this is what it took for muggle-borns to be respected in the wizarding world, he was more than happy to play along.</p><p>From that day on, the two were inseparable. They had grand plans for this wizarding world they’d just been so unceremoniously thrust into, and they weren’t about to let perky little things like rules or blood status get in the way. </p><p>“I can’t be seen in the girls’ toilets,” Tom reminded her as he gestured to the room in front of him, a harsh edge to his voice. “Do you have any idea what that would do to my reputation?”</p><p>Myrtle shot him a long-suffering look. “Hence why we’re here after curfew and not the middle of the day.”</p><p>“Oh, yes. Because it’s <i>so much better</i> if the two of us happen to get caught together in the girls’ toilets in the middle of the night.”</p><p>“Caught?” Myrtle laughed as if it was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. “When have you ever gotten caught for any of the stunts you’ve pulled over the years?”</p><p>“Professor Dumbledore—”</p><p>“Isn’t here.”</p><p>Tom opened his mouth to argue, but upon realizing Myrtle had a good point, closed it once more. She was right. Professor Dumbledore wasn’t here. And while their overbearing Transfiguration professor always suspected Tom of every little wrongdoing that happened at Hogwarts, he’d never once had any proof. Tom was too good at covering his tracks.</p><p>Even if Professor Dumbledore <i>did</i> manage to catch them sneaking around in a restroom after curfew, what was the worst thing he could accuse them of? They were two upperclassmen of the opposite sex who’d been sorted into different houses. Any sane professor would assume they’d simply wanted to get some privacy for a snogging session. What could Dumbledore even do? Claim they were doing something evil because Tom was “incapable of love” or whatever other nonsensical rumors he was trying to spread about Tom’s supposed incurable criminality? Headmaster Dippet would never fall for that.</p><p>“Alright then,” he decided, although this whole thing still went against his better judgement. “I suppose taking a look around wouldn’t be the end of the world.”</p><p>Myrtle sent wicked grin his way and grabbed him by the wrist. “Excellent! Come on.”</p><p>Tom allowed himself to be dragged into the girls’ toilets, despite the sensation of inherent wrongness he got about being in there. He couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that he was doing something inappropriate, even if the restroom <i>was</i> empty.</p><p>“Did your research happen to tell you what we were meant to be looking for, or are we to scour every inch of this place for clues?” Tom wanted to know.</p><p>“Where would the fun be in knowing what to look for?” came Myrtle’s infuriating reply.</p><p>Tom shot his friend a withering glare, but got to work with their search. They had quite a bit of ground to cover, and he had absolutely no intentions of spending the whole night in here.</p><p>He started by scouring the walls for any signs of potential tampering: mirrors that weren’t properly secured, loose stones in the wall, or even an echo indicating a false wall. The chamber must have been sealed somehow, and sealed well if it was true that the chamber had never been found. He supposed that could be an exaggeration, and that Slytherin’s descendants had been sneaking in for ages without drawing attention to themselves, but even then, the entrance would have to be expertly hidden.</p><p>As he finished with the walls without finding anything, Tom began to worry that the Chamber of Secrets might indeed be nothing more than a legend. What if all of his research on the Slytherin line and Myrtle’s research on Hogwarts had been nothing more than a waste of time? What if there was no lasting legacy to Salazar Slytherin? What if it had died with his near squib mother and criminal uncle?</p><p>And then, he finally spotted it: a sink with an ornate serpent faucet. It called to him, compelling him to come closer, to run his fingers down the cold metal of the serpent’s back. He followed the urge, allowing himself to be drawn in by its strange magic. A cold, crackling sensation ignited under his fingertips as he gave in. It wasn’t merely calling to him. It was calling him home. </p><p>“Myrtle, over here!” He motioned for her to join him by the mesmerizing serpent sink, unable to take his eyes off it. “I think I’ve found it.”</p><p>Tom hadn’t even heard his friend approach until she spoke. “Yeah, I’d say that’s a pretty obvious giveaway that there’s something of Slytherin’s nearby.”</p><p>“Indeed.”</p><p>Without another word, Tom got to work trying to activate the sink. He searched the serpent for some sort of button or lever, but found nothing. The taps were a dead end as well, not even triggering a stream of water when switched on. He wracked his mind for ideas as to what on earth the trigger to open the thing would be, if it was indeed the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and not just some absurdly adorned sink.</p><p>“Maybe you should try doing that hissing thing of yours and see if any secret passages appear,” Myrtle suggested.</p><p>“<i>That hissing thing</i> has a name, as you well know!”</p><p>The rant forming in Tom’s head about the noble legacy of his Slytherin ancestry and the ancient gift of Parseltongue was cut short by Myrtle’s laughter. “You’re too easy to wind up,” she teased. “Now go on and hiss.”</p><p>Tom was torn between strangling Myrtle and doing as he was told, but eventually hissed: <i>~Open.~</i></p><p>Metal and porcelain groaned in response as the circle of sinks pushed themselves apart from another, scraping against the flagstone floor as they did. Slowly but steadily, they spread out just enough that a person could fit between them, revealing a long, cold tunnel that had been kept hidden for Merlin only knows how long. It was a strange sight, but so was just about every other aspect of Hogwarts’ architecture, so Tom supposed this at least fit the theme. He’d have much preferred a secret door hidden behind a bookshelf like he’d read about in a few mystery novels, but this would have to do.</p><p>“You did it!” Myrtle shrieked, embracing Tom in a too-tight hug. “Oh, I just knew you could!”</p><p>Tom stiffened at the contact, but eventually relaxed in acceptance. He wasn’t particularly used to people touching him, especially not in an affectionate way, but he’d learned to tolerate it for Myrtle’s sake. She seemed to enjoy such embraces, and, even though he didn’t understand the appeal, he didn’t want to disappoint her by keeping her at arm’s length like he did with everyone else. After all, Myrtle was different. She was his equal, not one of his followers. It wouldn’t do to treat her like them.</p><p>But that didn’t mean he was above telling her—civilly, of course—when the contact had gone on for too long for his comfort. “If you’re quite done,” he drawled, “I’d like to get a move on and explore the Chamber.”</p><p>“Right,” she quickly agreed, finally releasing her hold on him. “Well, down we go!”</p><p>Myrtle jumped down the opening without a moment’s hesitation, landing softly after casting a levitation charm on herself. </p><p>Rolling his eyes at his friend’s recklessness, Tom followed suit. He’d had a soft landing thanks to a cushioning charm he’d cast, but there was still a strange crunching sound when his the soles of his shoes hit the ground. He looked down to see that the ground was littered with animal bones.</p><p>“Disgusting,” he muttered, glaring at the bones as if his distaste for them would be a strong enough force to make them disappear. </p><p>Myrtle shook her head. “You’ve seen half crushed corpses in the streets of London, but animal bones are your limit?”</p><p>“I find both sights detestable,” Tom assured her even though it wasn’t entirely true. He had far more sympathy for animals than muggles. At least animals didn’t try to beat, starve, or exorcise the magic out of anyone.</p><p>The two of them made their way down the dark, dank corridor, careful not to step on any more bones or carcasses. Luckily, most of the animal remains were at least clean of flesh, but better safe than sorry. Tom didn’t particularly like the idea of getting guts on his only pair of shoes. <i>Scourgify</i> could only do so much for the smell.</p><p>After what felt like ages of walking in the damp darkness, Tom and Myrtle encountered a heavy, circular stone door not unlike that of a bank vault. Several stone snakes guarded the entrance, interlocking to prevent anyone getting in.</p><p><i>~Open,~</i> he hissed once more.</p><p>The stone snakes slithered out of the way, and the door swung open. It was a bit of a high step to get through, but the two teenagers were able to hoist themselves up and get through with relative ease.</p><p>The sight that greeted them on the other side of the door was beyond anything they could have ever imagined. They stood at the end of a stunning, marble floored chamber adorned with massive, ornamental serpents’ head statues lining the hall. At the very end, staring them down, was the statue of an aged wizard who could only be Salazar Slytherin.</p><p>“We actually found it,” Myrtle said, half stunned by her own words. “We’re actually in the legendary Chamber of Secrets!”</p><p>Another tight embrace threatened to suffocate Tom, and once again he simply allowed it to happen. He was too shocked by his surroundings to care. They were standing in the ruins of a history lost to time itself.</p><p>“It’s real,” Tom half whispered, still staring in awe.</p><p>Myrtle giggled in excitement. “Can you believe it? We could very well be the first people to enter this place since Salazar Slytherin himself.”</p><p>Despite standing there in the middle of the chamber, Tom almost <i>couldn’t</i> believe it. All those years of having “mudblood” and “half breed” spat at him by purebloods who looked at him as if he was filth, yet it was he and a mudblood who found the Chamber of Secrets. His dirty, mixed blood came from their great Salazar Slytherin, inherited his legacy. And here was the proof! Everywhere he looked was another sign that his blood wasn’t just as good as anyone else’s—it was better! He was more than they could ever be, him and Myrtle both, because they could do things none of their pathetic, inbred minds could possibly dream of.</p><p>“Just think of the possibilities!” Tom said breathlessly. “It could be our base of operations! The perfect hideout away from Dumbledore’s interference! And if we could only find a way to sneak back here during the summers, we wouldn’t have to worry about the air raids anymore.”</p><p>One of the many things Tom enjoyed about spending time with Myrtle was that, unlike his pureblood dormmates, she understood the carnage of the German air raids. She experienced the same exact fear as him at the end of each school year when they had to return to London for the summer. She could sympathize with the abject terror that overtook him at the sound of sirens wailing and blackout curtains being drawn shut and the way the earth beneath him shook from the impact of each bomb dropped. And most importantly, she shared her own stories of coping with the raids—making him feel far less alone.</p><p>Myrtle gasped in mock surprise. “My, my! Tom Riddle, are you suggesting I run away with you? The scandal of it all! The outrage! Tongues will surely wag.”</p><p>“My sincerest apologies for offending your… delicate sensibilities,” Tom replied in his most serious, most pretentious imitation of pureblood speech, doing everything in his power not to laugh at their shared ridiculousness. “Would you prefer an engraved invitation to join me at the safest bomb shelter in all of Britain, or would regular owl post suffice?”</p><p>“Owl post?” she repeated, feigning disappointment. “Surely the Dark Lord <i>Voldemort</i> can do better than owl post.”</p><p>Tom struggled against the urge to groan. He should have known better than to tell her he was toying around with taking on that name. She’d taken every opportunity to tease him about it ever since, insisting that it was too pretentious for anyone to take seriously.</p><p>“I’m not above feeding you to Slytherin’s monster, whatever it is,” Tom retorted. He doubted the thing was still alive after a millennia, but it made for a good—albeit entirely empty—threat.</p><p>“Oh, please. You wouldn’t have a prayer of taking over the world without me, and you know it.”</p><p>Tom shook his head in resignation. She was right, and he knew it. Still, he was never going to say that out loud.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Family (Re)Connections</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the lestrange twins settle into malfoy manor. so do a variety of guests. it's only a little bit overwhelming.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i don't own harry potter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first few weeks of summer break brought to Malfoy Manor an odd assortment of house guests, all of whom were in need of some form of healing. Professor Quirrell and Hydrus’ father had been the first to arrive, having made their way to the manor shortly after retrieving the philosopher’s stone from Hogwarts and replacing it with a fake. Professor Quirrell had needed a few weeks of bedrest to recover from the magically draining task of playing host to a disembodied soul. Hydrus’ father, on the other hand, was having a bit of trouble adjusting to being corporeal after a decade without a body.</p><p>Nagini, his father’s magically enlarged king cobra, arrived mere hours later of her own accord. She had sensed his “resurrection” through their bond as wizard and familiar, and had sought him out. The Malfoys had been terrified at first because there was a twelve foot long deadly snake wandering around their home, but they eventually got used to her after all three of the parselmouths in the house repeatedly assured them that she meant no harm.</p><p>In fact, Nagini was incredibly friendly. With Hydrus and Hermione’s mother in Azkaban, Nagini had decided that it was her job to play the role of mother and claimed her wizard’s “hatchlings” as her own. She didn’t exactly understand how to fulfill said role, so she’d taken to watching over them whenever Hydrus’ father was in need of rest and giving them advice on how to best kill and devour their prey. Only Iris benefited from such advice, but Hydrus and Hermione found it rather entertaining. </p><p>Two weeks after Hydrus had arrived at Malfoy Manor, his aunt, uncle, and father all sat him down to discuss an urgent matter: Dudley Dursley. His former cousin was finally well enough to be discharged from St. Mungo’s, but he didn’t have anywhere to go. His aunt explained to him that the closest magical family member would take in a parentless child, but, due to the bad blood between two boys, the adults wanted to ask first if Hydrus would be alright with Dudley staying at the manor. </p><p>If they had asked Hydrus if he wanted to live with Dudley again back in January, he would have laughed in their faces. Back then, Dudley was still his awful muggle cousin who used him as a punching bag and a scapegoat for his own misbehavior. But, after months of coming to terms with the fact that Dudley had also been mistreated by his parents—as well as knowing how awful it felt not to have a family—Hydrus now felt he could at least try tolerating his former cousin’s presence.</p><p>A few days and several dozen asks of “Are you sure it’s alright?” later, Aunt Narcissa checked Dudley out of St. Mungo’s and brought him back to the manor. The boy who had stepped through the floo, though, was hardly Dudley at all. He was sullen, withdrawn, and barely made eye contact with anyone for more than a second or two. He had taken the news of what his parents had done quite hard, and had taken his recovery even harder. He’d undergone two months in a magically-induced coma, two more being heavily monitored for lingering effects of the nearly full binding on his magic, and one final month of both intensive physical and psychiatric therapy, and he still hadn’t fully recovered from what his parents had done to him. Hydrus wondered if he ever would.</p><p>While Professor Snape wasn’t there for an extended stay like the other guests, he might as well have been. He’d been coming over several times a week to deliver potions to Aunt Narcissa and check up on how Professor Quirrell, Hydrus’ father, and Dudley were all faring. Uncle Lucius had offered the Potions master a room on multiple occasions, but was turned down every time. Professor Snape insisted that it was because he preferred spending his summers far away from dunderheaded children, but it was all too obvious that the real reason was because of how thorough of a job the Malfoys were doing at ruining his reputation as the terrifying dungeon bat of Hogwarts. After all, he couldn’t very well have his students knowing he had close friends or a sense of humor, lest they suspect him of going soft.</p><p>Yet, despite all the different guests that had been staying at the manor, nothing could have prepared Hydrus for the whirlwind of a man that was Sirius Black. He’d learned a bit about the man from the memories in the Potters’ will and the incredibly anti-Dumbledore quotes the <i>Daily Prophet</i> had gotten out of him, but all of that was tame compared to the man himself. Shaggy, underfed, and still a bit insane from Azkaban, he reminded Hydrus more of a feral dog than a person. It certainly didn’t help that sometimes the man was in fact a feral dog. A grim, to be precise.</p><p>Hydrus would never forget the first time he met Sirius Black. The man had fallen out of the floo with even less grace than Hydrus, manically declared that the Lestranges were innocent of torturing the Longbottoms, and then collapsed face-first onto the floor of the manor’s main sitting room. Had he had not been warned ahead of time that Sirius Black would be joining them that day, Hydrus was sure he’d have been terrified by the strange sight. Even with the knowledge of who the man was, the whole thing was rather startling.</p><p>It was because of this truly bizarre first impression that Hydrus nearly choked on his breakfast when his father asked: “Do you intend to take up the Black lordship soon, Sirius?”</p><p>This man was supposed to be Lord Black? This strange and slightly unhinged man? Hydrus found it nearly impossible to imagine. He’d always thought of lords being more serious and refined like Uncle Lucius and his father, and Sirius couldn’t have possibly been more different from the other two men.</p><p>The question seemed to shock Sirius even more than it had Hydrus, if his expression was anything to go by. “I didn’t know I could,” he admitted slowly, almost as if he hadn’t quite finished processing the question. “I was under the impression that I’d been disowned.”</p><p>“Bellatrix demanded you be brought back into the family after what you did for her,” Aunt Narcissa explained, putting down the dainty porcelain teacup she’d been holding. “Now that I think about it, ‘demanded’ might be too mild a description. Threatened might be more accurate. I’d never seen Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion look quite so terrified before.”</p><p>Sirius barked out a laugh. “I wish I could’ve been there to see that.”</p><p>“Perhaps you can if I can find my father’s pensieve,” Uncle Lucius mused.</p><p>“The question still stands,” came the calm, commanding voice of Hydrus’ father, silencing the entire room. “Your lordship, Sirius?”</p><p>“I-I’ll be sure to look into it as soon as possible,” Sirius assured him, though he he seemed rather nervous about the whole thing.</p><p>Or, perhaps, he was still nervous about being in the presence of Lord Voldemort. Even Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa acted a bit weird around Hydrus’ father at times, and he could only assume it was because of the man’s former title as the Dark Lord—a title he had every intention of reclaiming. Hydrus thought his father was terribly impressive, of course, but he still found it odd how all the adults treated him with the utmost respect and admiration. He may have been the Dark Lord, but he was still family.</p><p>A slight smile graced his father’s lips. “Excellent,” he commended Sirius. “I understand you have a cousin who was disowned and excommunicated for marrying a muggle-born. Andromeda, right?” He turned to Aunt Narcissa, who gave a single nod. “Perhaps your first act as Lord Black could be bringing her back into the family.”</p><p>“Could you please, Sirius?” Aunt Narcissa asked. Her eyes were bright and hopeful, a stark difference to her usual piercing gaze. She looked every bit the adoring little sister Ursa was toward Draco.</p><p>Sirius blinked rapidly, taken aback by Aunt Narcissa momentarily dropping her mask of pureblood propriety. “I… of course, Narcissa,” he promised her. “I’d be happy to.”</p><p>Talk of lordships and disownments died down after that, much to Hydrus’ relief. It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested. He just didn’t know the first thing about any of it. If they’d gone on much longer, he was certain he’d have been out of his depth. After all, even Sirius had looked a bit overwhelmed by it all. If an adult in his thirties felt that way, what hope did a twelve year old have?</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Five days later, the Malfoys, Sirius Black, Dudley Dursley, and the Lestrange twins made their way to Diagon Alley. Uncle Lucius and Sirius had intended to go to Gringotts to get everything settled on their own, but Aunt Narcissa had insisted on making a day trip of it so that Dudley could experience Diagon without the back-to-school rush. Hyrdus’ father—who was tentatively going by his middle name Marvolo while contemplating his comeback—wasn’t yet well enough for a day out, but he gave his children and Dudley spending money so that they could get themselves a few trinkets and some ice cream.<p>Hydrus was rather disappointed that his father couldn’t come along, but he begrudgingly accepted the reasons for it. The man had spent the better part of a decade as a disembodied soul, and even with the philosopher’s stone and an in-house healer, having one’s consciousness thrust into a regenerated physical form wasn’t the sort of thing one got over quickly. On top of that, the body was still stabilizing its form. There were still occasional moments where it didn’t look quite human—teeth appearing too sharp, eyes too snakelike, and an unhealthy pallor that made him look like a walking corpse if he overexerted himself. It wouldn’t do for something like that to happen in public.</p><p>Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius would make for acceptable substitutes for now, Hydrus decided. It was clear that they cared for him and his sister, and were generally quite family-oriented, if overly stiff and formal. He enjoyed spending time with them. Still, it wasn’t the same as getting the opportunity to bond with his father.</p><p>“Business at Gringotts shouldn’t take more than an hour or two,” Uncle Lucius assured the kids as he and Sirius began to separate from the rest of the group. “Why don’t we all meet up for lunch and regroup after?”</p><p>“Make sure to behave for Cissy while we’re gone,” Sirius added, humor in his voice. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”</p><p>Aunt Narcissa pursed her lips. “What a low bar for the children to meet. If I recall correctly, you and James Potter spent more time in detention than in class.”</p><p>“Gryffindor, remember?” he teased.</p><p>“I try not to.”</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t help but chuckle at his aunt’s dry retort. He’d picked up enough from the adults’ conversations that Sirius’ sorting had at one point truly been a point of contention, but they’d all moved past it ages ago. They all still bickered about which house had the best quidditch team, but there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that taking the rivalry beyond that was a symptom of a juvenile mindset. There seemed to be a deeper meaning behind said agreement, but it didn’t seem appropriate to ask. Hydrus assumed it had something to do with whatever had happened during the war.</p><p>Sirius feigned offense. “What have you got against the noble house of lions?”</p><p>“The fact that their ceaseless talking will no doubt make us late for our appointment with the goblins,” Uncle Lucius interrupted before the playful bickering went any further. </p><p>“Alright, alright,” Sirius relented. “We’ll see you lot later. Don’t have too much fun without us!”</p><p>As Uncle Lucius all but dragged Sirius toward Gringotts, Aunt Narcissa turned her attention to the gaggle of children and asked: “Is there any shop in particular you’d like to swing by first?”</p><p>“Flourish and Blotts,” Hermione replied immediately, an excited gleam in her eye. “If that’s alright with everyone else, I mean.”</p><p>Aunt Narcissa smiled. “Of course, my dear.” Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, she admitted: “There’s a relatively new book on integrating certain muggle sciences into blood healing. It’s quite controversial, as I’m sure you can imagine, but I must confess I’m curious about this whole ‘transfusion’ concept that muggles have invented.”</p><p>“You mean blood transfusions?” Hydrus asked, surprised. “Do wizards not do that?”</p><p>“I suppose it wouldn’t be necessary what with the availability of blood replenishing potions,” Hermione considered.</p><p>“Unless the person who needed  the potion was unconscious.”</p><p>“Or was allergic to one of the ingredients.”</p><p>“Then again, I haven’t heard of any wizarding blood banks.”</p><p>“Do wizards even do blood donations?”</p><p>Draco groaned. “Will the two of you stop that? You sound like the Weasley twins!”</p><p>Pointedly ignoring Draco’s complaint, Aunt Narcissa asked: “What is blood donation? Is it dangerous?”</p><p>“No, not at all,” Hermione assured her. “It’s actually a pretty simple process. A trained nurse—a type of healer—sticks a needle into your arm that’s attached to this tube that feeds into a blood bag. Once the bag’s full, they take out the needle and patch you right up and give you juice to help with the dizziness.”</p><p>“And what happens with the blood bags?”</p><p>“They’re injected into a compatible patient who needs blood. It’s mostly for people who’ve had serious injuries, but I think they use it to help with some illnesses as well.”</p><p>Aunt Narcissa took a moment to consider Hermione’s words. She seemed lost in thought, contemplating that Hydrus was sure had to be far beyond his comprehension. After all, Aunt Narcissa was brilliant at healing, especially blood healing, and was likely contemplating how to solve medical problems that Hydrus had never even heard of.</p><p>“Perhaps these muggles are onto something with these blood donation and transfusion ideas,” Aunt Narcissa mused. “Not that I can imagine the Wizengamot would ever allow us to adopt such Dark practices, even if it is for a good cause.”</p><p>Hermione and Aunt Narcissa continued talking about muggle medicine and magical counterparts all the way to Flourish and Blotts. Draco and Ursa kept exchanging confused looks that Hydrus found himself relating to more often than not. Dudley, on the other hand, seemed to be grateful that he at least recognized <i>some</i> of the concepts being discussed.</p><p>The group split up as they entered the bookshop, everyone interested in pursuing texts from different sections. Only Aunt Narcissa and Ursa had stuck together, though that was because Aunt Narcissa didn’t want a nine year old wandering around by herself.</p><p>Hydrus had wandered around a bit before finding himself in the Herbology section. Neville’s birthday was coming up at the end of July, and he’d wanted to get his friend a present. After the awkwardness of discovering that his parents were sent to Azkaban for torturing Neville’s parents to insanity, Hydrus had been putting an immense amount of pressure on himself to make sure it didn’t ruin their friendship.</p><p>Neville had been surprisingly decent about it. While other students had all but blamed Hydrus and Hermione for their parents’ actions, Neville had resolutely refused to do so. In an impressive moment of courage, the young Gryffindor had approached them in the Great Hall to assure them that they were all still friends and that their last names didn’t change a thing. He’s also let it slip that his gran had never once believed their mother was guilty. Apparently she and Neville’s mother Alice had never once drawn their wands at one another throughout the entirety of the war, and Neville’s gran doubted anything could have caused them to break their unspoken truce.</p><p>Just as Hydrus started flipping through <i>Restricted Plants and Their Unrestricted Potential</i>, he noticed that Dudley had meandered over to the other side of the aisle. He looked rather lost and confused, and, even more alarmingly, morose. Hydrus knew his cousin had never particularly liked books, but his usual response was to scowl at them as if they’d personally offended him. Now, though, all his face betrayed was the ghost of a frown.</p><p>“You alright, Dud?” Hydrus hesitantly asked.</p><p>Dudley startled, but relaxed when he realized who had been speaking to him. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s just…” He faltered, seeming to struggle with the weight of what he wanted to say. “It’s hard sometimes, you know? And overwhelming, too. Being around wizard stuff and thinking about how my parents tried to keep all of this from me… and how different things might’ve been if they’d told me what I was from the start.”</p><p>Hydrus had minimal experience comforting people, but he put a reassuring hand on Dudley’s shoulder in the hopes that it would suffice. He understood what his former cousin was going through. Under all the wonder and anxiety he’d felt during his first trip to Diagon Alley, there had been an inescapable feeling that he’d been cheated by not knowing until he was eleven.</p><p>And even then, he’d at least been allowed to keep enough of his magic to get into Hogwarts at the correct time. Because Dudley had spent half of the previous school year thinking he was a muggle and another in St. Mungo’s, he’d be going into his frist year despite being the same age as Hydrus, Hermione, and Draco. Dudley already had a bit of a complex about his intelligence now that his mind was no longer altered by magic deprivation, and the thought of being held back a year—cut off from his cousins, the only people he knew in the wizarding world—had only seemed to worsen it. He pretended it didn’t bother him, but Hydrus could see the frustration written all over Dudley’s face when the others shared memories from their first year, a year he should have been a part of.</p><p>“Sometimes…” Hydrus began hesitantly, “Sometimes I wonder how things would’ve been between us if you’d been showing signs of magic, too.”</p><p>Dudley sucked in a nervous breath. “Do you think we might’ve been friends if I’d known that we were the same?”</p><p>“I do,” Hydrus asserted, surprised by how easily the words came out. “And, for what it’s worth, I think we could be friends now. Or we at least have a chance to try, a real chance.”</p><p>“One that isn’t doomed from the start,” Dudley agreed.</p><p>In a strange moment of impulse, Hydrus extended his hand. “Hello. I’m Hyrus Riddle-Lestrange, but please call me Hydrus.”</p><p>“Dudley Dursley, but call me Dudley.” His cousin took his hand and gave it a slightly too firm shake. “It’s nice to formally meet you.”</p><p>“You too.”</p><p>Hesitantly, Dudley asked: “You know that potioneer bloke who comes by all the time? Professor Snape?”</p><p>Hydrus nodded. He didn’t think he’d be able to hold back a sarcastic response about how he would obviously know one of his own professors if he replied verbally.</p><p>“He seems like a really great bloke. He, uh, he told me that I could always go to him if I needed any help trying to adjust, or if someone started causes problems for me. No expectations. No trying to coddle me. Just honest support.” His voice fell to little more than a whisper. “My own parents never even offered me anything like that before.”</p><p>“He’s really good like that,” Hydrus said with conviction. “He’s the one who sent Aurors to investigate what was going on at Privet Drive, you know. Thought something didn’t seem right with me and got concerned. He cares a lot, even if he <i>is</i> a bit prickly.”</p><p>“That was… that was really good of him,” Dudley decided, though he spoke quietly.</p><p>An awkward silence fell between the former cousins. Hydrus hated the Dursleys, but he wasn’t about to say as much to Dudley—not unless he was absolutely certain that Dudley felt the same way. They were still his parents, even as horrid as they were. It wasn’t easy to get over that sort of attachment. And even if Dudley did truly agree that it was good that Professor Snape had gotten the Aurors involved in their home life, that didn’t mean is was an easy or enthusiastic agreement. Plenty of people could accept something factually but not emotionally. </p><p>“Nagini’s been a big help, too,” Dudley added after a while, an affectionate smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “She’s told me all about how Uncle Marvolo is really against the sort of stuff that happened to us, that he’s been trying to make things better for magical children in muggle homes for ages. It helps, you know, knowing that no one here is going to treat me like my parents treated you.”</p><p>Hydrus’ breath caught in his chest. He had seen Dudley’s mouth continue to move, but he’d barely been able to pay attention after the first sentence. “Did you… did you just say you’ve been talking with Nagini?”</p><p>“Yeah. It was a bit weird at first what with her being a king cobra and all that, but she’s surprisingly friendly.” He chuckled to himself at some thought or memory that Hydrus could only guess at. “I can see now why you’d been getting on so well with that snake you set loose at the zoo. They’ve got a lot more to say than you’d think.”</p><p>If someone had told Hydrus a year ago that Dudley would one day befriend a snake, he’d have laughed in their face. Talking to and befriending snakes were so abnormal, so <i>freakish</i>, that one would’ve been run out of Privet Drive for even daring to suggest such a thing. And yet, Dudley had brought up his conversations with a king cobra as if it were the most normal thing in the world.</p><p>“Ha-Hydrus?” Dudley asked, forcing Hydrus to realize he’d been silent for too long.</p><p>“Sorry, I don’t know why I’m being so weird about this,” Hydrus admitted. “I should’ve expected that you’d inherit the family magic.”</p><p>“The family magic?”</p><p>Dudley looked genuinely confused, but, rather than lose his temper over not understanding like he might’ve back at Privet Drive, his eyes betrayed a spark of curiosity. It was as if he was realizing for the first time that he could simply ask questions when he didn’t know something. The “don’t ask questions” rule Petunia and Vernon had put in place must have applied to Dudley as well. Not only that, but it must have crushed his desire to learn.</p><p>“There’s only one wizarding family in Britain that’s known to speak Parseltongue—the language of serpents, that is,” Hydrus explained, hoping he could do a good job of being approachable in how he answered, like no one had done for him before he’d met Professor Snape. “The Gaunt family, the last living descendants of Salazar Slytherin. Father said your grandmother was a Gaunt, which is why you’re living with us. His mum was a Gaunt as well. He’s your great uncle or something like that.”</p><p>“So… so we’re still cousins?” Dudley sounded unexpectedly hopeful at the idea.</p><p>“Kind of? It’s more like second cousins or something like that.”</p><p>“I’m glad we’re still related,” Dudley admitted, sounding almost as if he wasn’t sure if it was something he should share.</p><p>“Me too.”</p><p>And to Hydrus’s surprise, he meant it.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>“That can’t possibly be right.”<p>Sirius Black—now officially Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black—had spent the past several minutes staring at the Inheritance Test before him, incapable of accepting the results they showed. By all accounts, it shouldn’t be possible. Everyone had been so certain back then, and nothing had happened in all these years to contradict that certainty. </p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous, Sirius,” Lucius chastised him. “You know as well as I do that the goblins’ blood magic is nigh infallible.”</p><p>With a dramatic push of the parchment toward Lucius, Sirius demanded: “Look at this and tell me you find it easy to believe.”</p><p>“Surely the confirmation that you’re Lord Black can’t be that shocking.”</p><p>“Just <i>read</i> it.”</p><p>Lucius let out a dramatic, put-upon sigh, but did as he was told. He skimmed the parchment with casual disinterest until—</p><p>“I… how?”</p><p>All that color had drained from Lucius’ face, sending a spike of anxiety through Sirius. He’d known Lucius since childhood, and he’d never once seen the older man at such a profound loss for words. That at least confirmed he wasn’t seeing things or overreacting. </p><p>“Have you ever received a sign of… that?” Lucius asked, gesturing to the offending line of ink.</p><p>Sirius shook his head. “No, I—”</p><p>But he had, hadn’t he? For years, he’d wondered who’d sent him those strange, anonymous letters. The oddly familiar handwriting. The cryptic yet specific promise made. The way the writer seemed to <i>know</i> him. How hadn’t he pieced it together sooner?</p><p>“I have,” he said, his voice sounding so far away he almost couldn’t hear it. “For nearly eight years, I have. I can’t believe I didn’t realize it before now.”</p><p>“In your defense, Azkaban isn’t exactly the most conducive place for speculation.”</p><p>“No,” Sirius easily agreed. “It really isn’t.”</p><p>The two men stared at the Inheritance Test in silence, recovering from the fallout of that stupid, simple line. Four words. Five if one removed the hyphen in the surname. That’s all it would take to forever change the lives of those in the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black.</p><p>“We have to tell Severus,” Lucius decided, though he didn’t look too pleased with the idea.</p><p>A hysterical sound that might have been a laugh tore itself from Sirius’ throat. “Because that’ll go over so well! Either this will kill him, or he’ll kill us for telling him!”</p><p>Snape’s temper bordered on violent at the best of times, and his grief could haunt even its witnesses for years to come. The man had nearly leveled Spinner’s End when he’d learned of Regulus’ murder, and might have been content to waste away in its remains had he not been forcibly dragged out of the wreckage. To open up those eleven year old wounds over words on a piece of parchment was a suicide mission.</p><p>“I don’t like it any more than you do,” Lucius told him, “but he deserves to know.”</p><p>“That may be, but at what cost?”</p><p>“That, Sirius, is a question best left unasked.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Daedalus Gaunt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>not all wizards keep their birth names</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i don't own harry potter<br/>2. this is a shorter chapter that might come off as filler, but i couldn't get the idea out of my head</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There had been a significant shift in Hydrus and Dudley’s relationship ever since the family outing to Diagon Alley. They weren’t quite friends, not yet, but they were getting there. They’d grown more civil than they’d been at any other point in their eleven years of knowing one another, and they had even begun seeking each other out for conversations every so often. Granted, most of these conversations revolved around Dudley’s questions about their upcoming year at Hogwarts and the wizarding world in general, but it was a start.</p>
<p>Hydrus had expected things between Dudley and himself to be far worse than they were. He’d thought he’d find his cousin to be the same horrid bully who loved to play “Harry Hunting” and took every opportunity to make his life miserable. Even with Dudley’s sullenness on that first day he was brought to the manor, Hydrus kept waiting for him to return to the person he was back at Privet Drive.</p>
<p>Now, though, the weight of that worry had finally lifted itself from Hydrus’ shoulders. The more Dudley came out of his shell, the less that remained of the hateful boy from Hydrus’ early childhood. He still had moments of insecurity and aggression, but his sessions with a mind healer had helped him figure out healthier ways to work through those moments. It had come as a shock to just about everyone when he’d been on the verge of losing his temper with Draco and, instead of lashing out, had removed himself from the situation and went for a walk around the gardens until he’d calmed down. In that moment, Hydrus knew that the old Dudley Dursley no longer existed.</p>
<p>“What do you know about wizard names?”</p>
<p>Hydrus looked up from the politics book Uncle Lucius was making him read to see Dudley standing in the doorway with a cautiously curious expression on his face. Thankful for an excuse to put the tedious book down, he gestured for Dudley to enter. The history of the Wizengamot’s existence could wait until later.</p>
<p>“How do you mean?” Hydrus asked.</p>
<p>The only thing he really understood about names in the wizarding world were the inherited magics of a few prominent families, a little bit on the distinctions between the different types of Noble and Legendary Houses, and that his mother’s family named their children after stars and constellations. Unless Dudley wanted to know some highly specific bit of his limited information, he had no idea how to help.</p>
<p>“I want a proper wizard name like you’ve got now,” Dudley explained a bit shyly. “Becoming a Gaunt’s a start, but I can’t imagine there are many wizards called Dudley.”</p>
<p>Hydrus let out a sigh of relief. That was much less complicated than he was expecting. “So you’ve decided to go through with it? Changing your last name, that is.”</p>
<p>During dinner the previous evening, Hydrus’ father had mentioned that he was reclaiming the last name Gaunt. He had recently discovered that wizards with muggle surnames could reclaim the most recent magical surname in their family history so long as there were no objections from living family members. With all of the Gaunts dead, he had every right to take back the name and restart the family line.</p>
<p>Dudley had latched onto the idea, and had gone as far as asking what he’d need to do to change his own surname to Gaunt. Hydrus’ father had assured him that only his verbal permission and a trip to Gringotts would be required. After that, Dudley had fallen silent, though it was clear to everyone what was on his mind.</p>
<p>“Yeah. I don’t really want to be a Dursley anymore, not after…” Dudley took a moment to search for the right word before lamely finishing with: “everything.”</p>
<p>Hydrus gave him a sympathetic smile. “That’s fair.”</p>
<p>“The only thing is I’d like to be called something other than Dudley too, but I don’t really know any wizard first names except the healers I’ve met and the people who live here.”</p>
<p>“What, you don’t want to start calling yourself Lucius Gaunt?” Hydrus teased. “Or maybe Narcissus in honor of Aunt Narcissa?”</p>
<p>Dudley grimaced. “No, not really.”</p>
<p>“Some wizards have more mundane names, you know. Father’s real first name is Tom.”</p>
<p>“What kind of wizard is called Thomas?” Dudley asked with a scoff.</p>
<p>“Oh, no. Just Tom.”</p>
<p>“That’s even worse! No wonder he wants to change it!”</p>
<p>Hydrus couldn’t help but laugh. It really was an unfortunately plain name, especially for such a powerful wizard. His father’s current favorite theory was that his witch mother hadn’t realized Tom was a nickname, and, with the Riddles being quite wealthy, had assumed that it was very respectable sort of name in the muggle world.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s clearly not the fact that he’s meant to be dead that he’s changing his name,” Hydrus said, still chuckling. “It’s just because of how <i>pedestrian</i> it is to be called Tom.”</p>
<p>Dudley shot him a rare grin. “I’d fake my death too if I was called Tom.”</p>
<p>“We can’t all have names as unique as Ickle Duddiekins,” Hydrus replied with a snort.</p>
<p>The two boys laughed together, something they’d never done before moving into Malfoy Manor. They had laughed in one another’s presence in the muggle world, usually at the other’s expense, but laughing over the same thing was entirely new.</p>
<p>“I always hated it when Mum carried on like that,” Dudley admitted, amusement still evident in his voice. “It was so embarrassing.”</p>
<p>“It really was,” Hydrus agreed.</p>
<p>“So…” Dudley drawled. “Are you going to help me come up with a new name?”</p>
<p>Hydrus wanted to help, but he hardly knew more about wizarding first names than Dudley did. Besides, he’d encountered quite a few modern muggle names while at Hogwarts, and he knew that his cousin wouldn’t want any of those. Dudley seemed far more interested in traditional wizarding names.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure how much help I’d be, but maybe we could try asking my father?” Hydrus suggested. “I mean, he <i>did</i> already name two wizarding children, so he probably knows other acceptable names for wizards.” It was an added bonus that his father was rather old, and almost certainly went to school during an era where traditional names were common.</p>
<p>Dudley smiled. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”</p>
<p>“I think that’s the first time you’ve ever said that to me, Dud.”</p>
<p>“Probably because it’s the first time you’ve ever had a good idea.”</p>
<p>Hydrus chuckled at that. He was really starting to like this new and improved Dudley Dursley.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>A half an hour after his conversation with Hydrus, Dudley Dursley found himself sitting on the floor of Uncle Marvolo’s study, surrounded by his mostly new family and stacks of old books. It was a bit surreal, he thought, to be so immersed in the world of magic—with all its supposed abnormality and freakishness—and feel more at ease than he ever had at home.<p>When Dudley had come home on that day in December to see all those important looking wizards interrogating his parents in the living room, he hadn’t been all that surprised. It had been far from the first time that law enforcement had come to look into their home life. What was surprising was that something came of such an intervention for once.</p>
<p>A part of him had always known there was something wrong with how his parents treated “Harry”. He knew it was wrong how <i>he</i> had treated his supposed cousin. But his parents had been so insistent that “Harry” deserved it that he feared he’d receive the same treatment if he didn’t do the same as them. It was cowardly, but he hadn’t known what else to do. </p>
<p>When the Aurors had taken his parents away, he’d assumed they’d either send him to live with Aunt Marge or put him in the foster system. Instead, they’d started pointing their wands at him and talking in concerned voices about how he needed to go to some hospital right away. There had been strange comments about magical suppression and bindings and all sorts of medical terms that Dudley didn’t understand. Next thing he knew, they wizards had grabbed his arm and teleported—or apparated, as he now knew it was called—him to a wizard hospital to have his <i>magic</i> fixed.</p>
<p>Now, several months later, here he was— a wizard surrounded by other wizards in a gigantic magical manor, acting as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And, as he looked at his uncle and cousins and the snakes they kept as company, Dudley felt that maybe this really was where he belonged.</p>
<p>“I think I’ve found a decent name for you, Dudley,” Uncle Marvolo announced, looking up from his book on the Gaunt family history.</p>
<p>In the end, it had been much easier to convince Uncle Marvolo to help with the search than Dudley would have expected. All Hydrus had to do was ask. No further explanation was needed. Uncle Marvolo readily agreed, sent Nagini to go find Hermione and have her bring some history books, and then told Dudley: “From one unfortunately named wizard to another, I must say I understand the desire to shed one’s muggle name in favor of something more traditional.”</p>
<p>Dudley raised a curious eyebrow. “Yeah?”</p>
<p>“Aurelius,” his uncle replied. “There was an Aurelius Gaunt in the fifteenth century who opened the first dragon sanctuary in Britain. In addition, the name means ‘golden one’, which suits your blonde hair.”</p>
<p>The name sounded a bit girly in Dudley’s opinion. He was already starting Hogwarts a year late and with a very limited understand of the wizarding world. Having a feminine name like Aurelius would surely put more of a target for harassment on his back.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that’s the one for me,” Dudley admitted, hoping he didn’t offend his uncle by turning down the name.</p>
<p>Hermione nodded in agreement. “That makes sense. It’s a bit long, isn’t it? And not particularly easy to shorten.”</p>
<p>“Says Hermione Cassiopeia,” Hydrus teased.</p>
<p>“Shut it, Hydrus Salazar.”</p>
<p>“Children,” Uncle Marvolo drawled in a warning tone, “please cease your pointless bickering and return to the task at hand.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Father,” the twins replied at once.</p>
<p>Dudley struggled not to smile at his uncle’s firm warning. Even when Uncle Marvolo was “scolding” them, he was quite pleasant about it.</p>
<p>Dudley wasn’t used to being around adults who were firm yet fair, but he found he quite preferred it to his parents’ unpredictable swings from overindulgent to needlessly violent. They’d never hit him, not more than a single smack anyway, but the way they could so quickly turn from lavishing unwarranted praise on him to forcefully shoving his cousin into a locked cupboard under the stairs had been difficult for him to process. He never knew what to expect, and it left him on edge more often than not.</p>
<p>But none of the adults he’d met so far in the wizarding world had been like that. Professor Snape was the strictest, but he was also the most honest. He didn’t treat Dudley like a little kid who was too naive to understand what was going on, not like his parents had done. Instead, the Potions master discussed important matters with a frankness that Dudley found refreshing.</p>
<p>Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy—who, for some reason, insisted on having Dudley call the m Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa despite their not being related—were far more indulgent than the other adults, though they also had the highest expectations. It was a bit intimidating at times, but there was something about being held accountable that made Dudley <i>want</i> to do better.</p>
<p>As for Uncle Marvolo, well, Dudley was sure he was the greatest and most important adult in the entire world.</p>
<p>Dudley used to think his father was the most powerful man in the world, as most children tend to do. Vernon was a large, loud beast of a man with a handshake that could bruise one’s fingers and a yell capable of overriding any form of muggle soundproofing. And so, for years and years, Dudley had thought intimidation was the key to gaining respect and power.</p>
<p>But Uncle Marvolo didn’t need to yell or intimidate to make people aware of his power. He rarely even raised his voice. All he needed to do was exist, and the aura of importance simply radiated from him. It was a magnetic, commanding sort of presence that Dudley found far more impressive than the roughness and false bravado his father had used to get his way.</p>
<p>“Perhaps Morfin?” Uncle Marvolo suggested, shaking Dudley from his reverie. “It was, after all, your great grandfather’s name.”</p>
<p>Morfin? Dudley didn’t hate the name, but he didn’t exactly like it either. He couldn’t picture introducing himself by that name, nor he could he imagine anyone ever saying that he looked like a Morfin. Besides, it sounded rather like morphine, and he didn’t want to nearly share a name with a painkiller.</p>
<p>Dudley shook his head. “I don’t think it would suit me for a first name, but it might work as a middle name.”</p>
<p>“What about Corvinus?” Hydrus suggested. “That name pops up quite a few times on the family tree.”</p>
<p>Dudley’s only response was a noncommittal hum. Corvinus was a great deal better than Morfin, but it still wasn’t the sort of name he could picture calling himself. When he heard the name Corvinus, he imagined a stern, dark-haired man who was all nose and angles like Professor Snape—not a doughy blonde kid like him. There was no way he could pull it off.</p>
<p>“If you’re open to hearing another family name, there was a Daedelus Gaunt back in the seventeenth century,” Hermione informed him. “A very accomplished healer and educator, from the looks of it. He taught Advanced Parselmagic at the Asclepius Institute of Healing in Athens.”</p>
<p>Daedalus? It was close enough to the name Dudley that it wouldn’t be too difficult getting used to, but it also sounded like a proper enough wizarding name that he wouldn’t stand out when he started Hogwarts. He could also shorten Dade, which, despite being nearly the same as his current nickname, sounded far, far cooler than Dud.</p>
<p>“It’s perfect,” Dudley decided, feeling for the first time like he might just survive this strange new world after all. “Daedalus Morfin Gaunt.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. September First</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>it's time for the twins to meet up with their friends and head off for their second year at hogwarts</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i don't own harry potter, but jk rowling can't have him back</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The end of summer break had crept up on Hydrus far too quickly for his liking. He was looking forward to returning to Hogwarts and seeing his friends, but for the first time in his life, he’d actually enjoyed being home for the summer. As the first of September approached, he found himself growing less and less ready to go back to school.</p><p>Hydrus wasn’t the only one feeling apprehensive about the upcoming school year. Dudley—now called Daedalus Gaunt, or Dade for short—had been fretting over whether he’d be able to make friends with his yearmates. Sirius insisted that he’d have no problem winning over all his fellow first year Gryffindors (Sirius was convinced Dade would be in Gryffindor), but Dade was far from convinced.</p><p>From the sound of his letters, Ron also had concerns about the upcoming school year. His youngest sibling Ginny would be starting her first year, and he was worried about how she’d adjust to being away from home. Hydrus had tried reminding his friend that Ginny would have four older brothers at Hogwarts who could look out for her, but even that wasn’t enough to convince Ron that his little sister would be fine.</p><p>Even Professor Snape seemed anxious about this upcoming school year. He’d met with Sirius and Uncle Lucius in Uncle Lucius’ study, and by the time he left, the study was almost completely destroyed. He’d stormed out not even a half hour later, muttering something about half truths, questions best left unanswered, and meddling in other people’s business. Hydrus could only assume it had something to do with Headmaster Dumbledore. After all, Uncle Lucius and Sirius were both on the Board of Governors.</p><p>On their last evening at Malfoy Manor, the house elves put together an indulgent but tasteful dinner for the family with heaping portions of all the children’s favorite foods. It had been even better than the Hogwarts feasts, at least in Hydrus’ opinion. He and Hermione had gone to the kitchens afterward to thank the elves, but instead of getting the chance to compliment the food like they’d hoped to do, the elves had started crying over how much they were going to miss all the “little masters” when they went back to school. It was a touching moment, if a little strange.</p><p>Getting ready for the Hogwarts Express the following morning had been a surprisingly quick and stress-free ordeal. Everyone had finished packing the night before, and, with a bit of help from the adults, had featherlight charms, bottomless storage charms, and security spells placed on their trunks. All they’d had left to do was eat breakfast and say their goodbyes.</p><p>“Do I really have to wait two more years?” Ursa whined. “Surely no one will notice if I start school early.”</p><p>Draco rolled his eyes at his sister, and his parents wore matching looks of exasperation. It was clear this wasn’t the first time they’d had this particular conversation with the youngest Malfoy.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Ursa, but you must wait until you’re eleven before you attend,” Uncle Lucius delicately told his daughter.</p><p>Ursa pouted. “But that’s ages away!”</p><p>Aunt Narcissa placed a comforting hand on Ursa’s shoulder. “I understand how you feel, sweetheart. I used to hate it when my oldest sisters left for Hogwarts without me each year, but I promise you that the wait is worth it. You’ll have much more fun when you’re there with friends your own age.”</p><p>Ursa didn’t look particularly convinced, but she stopped trying to push the issue.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Goodbyes had been both an emotional and a tedious affair. While Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius were more formal in seeing the children off, Hydrus’ father and Sirius were surprisingly emotional. Father’s emotions came out in an almost obsessive need to ensure that his children and nephew were perfectly safe, had everything, would write to him often. Sirius, on the other hand, hugged each child so tightly that they’d all had trouble breathing through it.<p>As much as Hydrus was going to miss his family, it was a relief to board the Hogwarts Express and get away from the demonstrative nature of their departures. Even after all this time, he still wasn’t particularly comfortable with showy displays of affection and physical contact. He’d stopped flinching when someone tried to touch him, but he was a long way away from being comfortable with it.</p><p>Getting to King’s Cross Station a bit early had been a blessing. It took no time at all for the cousins to find an empty compartment. They put their trunks in the overheard storage, and got situated. All four children had all grown a bit over the summer, but they were certain they’d have room for at least one more friend to sit with them if they didn’t mind a bit of a tight fit.</p><p>Once they had their trunks put away, though, Dade had gotten up and made his way toward the door. He looked a bit anxious, though Hydrus couldn’t figure out why.</p><p>“Well, I guess I’m off,” Dade told them, even though he didn’t at all look like he wanted to go.</p><p>Hydrus arched a curious eyebrow. “Why aren’t you staying, Dade? I thought you were going to sit with us.”</p><p>“I don’t want to intrude on you and your friends,” Dade sheepishly explained. </p><p>Draco waved him off. “Nonsense. You can’t escape that easy now that you’re one of us.”</p><p>“Besides,” Hermione told him, “we’ve got friends in all four houses, so sticking with us guarantees you’ll get know at least one person from your future house no matter where you’re sorted.”</p><p>Seemingly assured that they weren’t going to ditch him at the first sign of their friends showing up, Dade sat down beside Draco and took out a book on Quidditch he’d gotten while they were school shopping. He didn’t open it just yet, not like Hermione had with her book on runes, but he held onto it like a lifeline.</p><p>Moments later, a flushed faced and breathless Ron appeared at their compartment door. “I need you to hide me, mate,” he told Hydrus, occasionally peering over his shoulder. “Percy’s been giving respectability lectures. I only just got away.”</p><p>Hydrus and Hermione wordlessly made space between them for Ron to sit. Hermione was half pressed against the window due to the right fit, but she didn’t seem to mind. </p><p>Ron plopped down them and let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks,” he said earnestly. Only when he got situated did he notice that the blonde boy sitting with them was someone he’d never met before. Extending his hand, he introduced himself. “I’m Ron by the way. Ron Weasley.”</p><p>“Daedalus Gaunt,” Dade replied, taking the hand and giving it a firm shake. “But you can call me Dade.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you, Dade. You’re Hydrus and Hermione’s cousin then? The one going into first year?”</p><p>Dade nodded.</p><p>“It’s my sister Ginny’s first year, too,” Ron informed him. “She’s a redhead like the rest of us Weasleys, so you won’t have any trouble spotting her in your classes. I’ll try to introduce you to her before then if I get a chance, though.”</p><p>Dade smiled shyly. “Thanks, mate. I appreciate it.”</p><p>Hydrus appreciated how friendly Ron was being toward Dade, especially since Ron knew who Dade used to be. There had been some concerns about getting close to someone who used to be such a bully, but Ron had eventually come around and started seeing Dade as an unofficial member of their friend group as the boy’s recovery progressed. Hydrus had still worried that his friend might not be as accepting once he met Dade in person, but he was more than happy to see how thoroughly Ron was proving him wrong. He truly had that Hufflepuff heart of gold.</p><p>“Which house do you think Ginny will end up in anyway?” Hydrus asked. “You never did mention in your letters.”</p><p>“Oh, she’s destined for Gryffindor—daring and chivalrous and all that. Plus, she’s got a mean right hook.”</p><p>Draco snorted at that. “Perfect. Your parents will finally have the full house set in Hogwarts all at once. Not a single corner of the school will be safe from the Weasley invasion.”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous, mate,” Ron replied with a chuckle. “The twins could pull off an invasion just fine without the rest of us.”</p><p>“No doubt about that,” Hermione agreed.</p><p>Hydrus could see the amusement in his sister’s eyes at the mention of the Weasley twins, as well as a spark of mischief. She’d made no secret of her frequent correspondence with them over the summer, and, after learning about Sirius’ old love of pranks, had even shared some of the letters with him. The four of them had plotted Merlin only knows what over the summer, and it was certain to get worse now that Hermione would be back in Ravenclaw tower with Fred and George.</p><p>“So, Dade, which house do you think you’ll be sorted into?” Ron asked.</p><p>Dade shrugged. “Not sure. Everyone at home was betting between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff though.”</p><p>“Really?” Ron’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “It’s just I never figured a Gaunt would be for Gryffindor, you know? Kind of odd thinking about an heir of Slytherin ending up anywhere but there.”</p><p>“My Aunt Lily was a Gryffindor, and her mum was a Gaunt,” Dade pointed out, sounding a bit defensive.</p><p>“Plus I’m technically a Slytherin heir as well, and I’m in Ravenclaw,” Hermione added.</p><p>Ron shrugged. “Still a bit weird if you ask me, but I guess if a Weasley can be in Slytherin then a Gaunt can be in Gryffindor.”</p><p>“You’re a Slytherin?” Dade asked.</p><p>“No, Hufflepuff.” Ron gestured to his yellow and black tie. “My older brother Percy is a Slytherin prefect though. He was the first non-Gryffindor Weasley in about two hundred years unless you count Great Aunt Cedrella, but she was only a Weasley by marriage.”</p><p>“I see he started a trend then if you’re not a Gryffindor either.”</p><p>“Most definitely,” Ron agreed. “Plus, Fred and George are both in Ravenclaw with Hermione. Mum was so thrilled when they were first sorted, you know. I think she was under the impression that Ravenclaw would be a good influence on them.”</p><p>Everyone who knew the Weasley twins laughed at that.</p><p>“In their defense, being in Ravenclaw really has been a good influence on them,” Hermione insisted, still chuckling a bit. “How else would they have managed to get such a strong base understanding for brewing their experimental potions?”</p><p>“Experimental potions?” Hydrus repeated, impressed. Fred and George were only fourteen. To be able to pull off experimental potions that young was a sign of true genius in the field.</p><p>Ron’s eyes went wide with understanding. “That explains all the explosions we heard over the summer! We all thought they were setting off fireworks in their room again.”</p><p>“Again?” Dade asked, sounding a bit alarmed. “You mean to say they’ve set of fireworks inside before?”</p><p>Ron just laughed and began regaling everyone with stories of the wildest pranks Fred and George had pulled off, as well as a few that didn’t go according to plan. Some of the things they’d come up with sounded impossible, but, knowing the twins, Hydrus was certain that the impossible wasn’t out of their joint reach.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Daedalus’ heart pounded in his chest. He was standing at the entrance to the Great Hall with the other first years, all of whom where anxiously speculating how the sorting was done. Most of theories being thrown out by his yearmates sounded a bit preposterous—save for the one boy who’d guessed it was some kind of test for learning style—but they put Dade on edge regardless of their probability. Plus, this was a <i>magical</i> school. Anything could be possible.<p>Just the beginnings of a mild panic attack were starting to set in, Dade saw his salvation in a flash of fiery red hair. The girl was standing off to the side, smiling and talking to a blonde girl with radishes dangling from her ears. They made for an odd pair, but Dade didn't seem to mind "odd" anymore now that he was away from Privet Drive.</p><p>“Excuse me, but are you Ginny Weasley?” he asked the girl.</p><p>The redheaded girl eyed him suspiciously, but nodded.</p><p>“I’m Luna Lovegood,” said the blonde girl in a strange, ethereal voice that seemed to know too much.</p><p>Dade sighed in relief. Maybe he could make two new friends tonight instead of just the one. “It’s nice to meet you,” he told her sincerely before turning his attention back to Ginny. “I sat with your brother Ron on the train. He mentioned we’d be in the same year.”</p><p>For some reason, that seemed to make Ginny angry. “Did he tell you to try and make friends with me?”</p><p>“Well, yeah,” Dade admitted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t really know anyone in the wizarding world except my cousins, and they’re in their second years. Well, technically they’re distant cousins. I’m a muggle-born. Didn’t even know I wizard until last year.”</p><p>Luna nodded sagely. “Lost heirs do tend to forget about magic from time to time.”</p><p>Dade had no idea what she was talking about, but, not wanting to look like an idiot in front of this girl who obviously knew so much more than he did, he awkwardly replied: “Yeah, something like that.”</p><p>His response made Luna smile, so he supposed he must have said the right thing.</p><p>“Did you say you were a muggle-born?” asked an energetic blonde boy with a camera hanging around his neck. He approached Dade and stuck out his hand. “I am, too. Colin Creevey.”</p><p>Dade took Colin’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Daedalus Gaunt, but please call me Dade.”</p><p>“How can you be a Gaunt and mudblood?” someone sneered. “Everyone knows the Gaunts are Sacred Twenty-Eight. They’d never sully their name with filth like you.”</p><p>Dade tensed at the slur. Uncle Marvolo had explained blood prejudice to him, and warned him he would likely face it because of his muggle parents.</p><p>As for the Sacred Twenty-Eight: he remembered reading about that in one of the wizarding culture books he’d Uncle Lucius had let him borrow over the summer. It was the twenty-eight longest lasting pureblood families. All a bunch of rubbish, in his opinion, just like muggle nobility. After all, it was nearly the twenty-first century. Who had the energy to care about that nonsense anymore?</p><p>“Want to say that to his face?” Ginny called out, taking a defensive stance beside him that Colin quickly mirrored.</p><p>A snobbish looking boy with brown hair and a pinched face stepped forward. “I <i>said</i>,” he began imperiously, sticking his nose in the air, “how can you be a Gaunt and a mudblood?”</p><p>Dudley Dursley would have punched the boy until he lost consciousness. Daedalus Gaunt wanted to. He really, really wanted to. But rather than potentially get in trouble before school even started, he took a deep breath and decided to try using his words like his mind healer had suggested.</p><p>“Muggle-borns descend from the squibs of magical families. That’s how,” Dade informed the boy, not bothering to mask the icy edge in his voice.</p><p>Ginny crossed her arms and glared at the boy. “Pity you can remember surnames but not manners.”</p><p>“Mind your place, blood-traitor,” the brown-haired boy spat.</p><p>“Mr. Mulciber!”</p><p>The snooty boy—who was apparently called Mulciber—froze in place before spinning on his heels to see a tall, angry witch glaring down at him. With just one icy look, Dade knew he would never want to cross this woman.</p><p>“We do not tolerate blood slurs at Hogwarts, Mr. Mulciber,” the witch warned him. “I may not be able to take house points yet because you’re unsorted, but I won’t hesitate to do so in the future.”</p><p>Mulciber didn’t look like he was going to back down, but he was at least smart enough to hold his tongue.</p><p>Straightening her posture, the older witch addressed the rest of the students: “My name is Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration professor and Head of Gryffindor House. Now, come along. It’s time for the sorting, and I’m sure you’re all anxious to know where you’ll end up.”</p><p>With a flourish of her wand, the doors to the Great Hall opened, and the children made their way inside.</p><p>“Who are your cousins anyway?” Ginny asked as they got lined up for the sorting. “You never did say.”</p><p>“Hydrus and Hermione Lestrange.”</p><p>The startled look on the Mulciber’s face was priceless. Dade might not know much about the wizarding world, but he knew certain names held quite a bit of power. The Lestranges were important for some reason and the name garnered a lot of respect, even if they <i>were</i> all in jail. This Mulciber boy must have wanted to show off by harassing so-called blood-traitors and mudbloods, but Dade could see it in his eyes that he was terrified of having just offended the wrong family.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Hermione Lestrange wasn’t quite as observant as her twin, as she was more skilled with books than people, but that didn’t mean she was oblivious. When she saw her cousin Daedalus enter the Great Hall, she had expected to see nothing more than the usual nervous excitement of being sorted or the wonder of seeing the bewitched ceiling for the first time. Instead, she noticed that his posture was closed off, almost combative. And so, after noticing signs even she couldn’t ignore, she took a closer look.<p>He’d walked in surrounded by three other first years who were standing just a little too close: a skinny boy with sandy blonde hair and a camera, a spacey-eyed blonde girl, and a redheaded girl who could only be Ginny Weasley. Hermione wondered why they were all being so strangely protected. Had something already happened in the short time between getting off the train and arriving in the hall?</p><p>A stray glare from Ginny gave Hermione her answer. There was a snooty looking brown-haired boy who kept looking over at the Dade and his friends like they were the scum of the earth. That boy must have tried causing problems for at least one of them. Hermione could only assume that whatever occurred had forged a bond of friendship between Dade and the other three, or at least an alliance against the other boy.</p><p>Hermione was pulled out of her speculations when Professor McGonagall announced: “Creevey, Colin!”</p><p>Dade’s friend—who she now knew was called Colin—with the camera made his way over to the sorting hat, placed it on his head, and was almost immediately declared: “GRYFFINDOR!” Colin was so excited about his sorting that he’d tripped and nearly fallen in his rush to get to the Gryffindor table.</p><p>A few more names were called, one of whom was sorted into Ravenclaw, and then it was finally the moment Hermione had been waiting for.</p><p>“Gaunt, Daedalus!”</p><p>It took a little while for the hat to come to a decision. Hermione could only imagine it was stuck on the same house debate that her family had been betting money on for the past few weeks.</p><p>“GRYFFINDOR!” the hat finally roared.</p><p>Hermione clapped vigorously for her cousin, though she was struggling to reign in the Cheshire grin threatening to spread across her lips. Sirius was going to win so much money from his bets with Father and Uncle Lucius over how Dade would be sorted.</p><p>“Lovegood, Luna!”</p><p>The strange blonde girl that had come in with Dade skipped up to the hat. After less than a minute of what almost looked like polite conversation between the two, the hat declared: “RAVENCLAW!”</p><p>Wanting to make sure that Dade’s new friend knew someone in her house, Hermione waved Luna over. Fred and George, she noticed, were doing the same.</p><p>“She’s our neighbor,” Fred explained.</p><p>“And Ginny’s friend,” George added. </p><p>“Plus…”</p><p>“She’s a true Seer.”</p><p>“If a bit odd.”</p><p>Hermione arched a curious eyebrow. She had an idea of where the twins were going with this. “But that’s what makes her fun, isn’t it? Being odd?”</p><p>Fred and George grinned at each other and then at Hermione. “Absolutely,” they said in unison.</p><p>Luna made her way over and plopped down between Hermione and Fred. The girl studied Hermione for a moment with her curious blue eyes and said: “You have many faces. Is this your favorite one?”</p><p>Luna’s question caught Hermione by surprise. How had the girl been able to so easily spot that she was a metamorphmagus without seeing her shift? Was this part of her Seer abilities?</p><p>“Luna, Luna, Luna,” George chided.</p><p>“You can’t just ask people which of their faces is their favorite,” Fred told her.</p><p>George gave a stern nod. “You wouldn’t want the other faces to get jealous, would you?”</p><p>“Yes, of course,” Luna agreed seriously. “It wouldn’t be fair.”</p><p>Whatever the twins had planned to say next was cut off by Professor McGonagall calling for—</p><p>“Mulciber, Silas!”</p><p>The snooty looking boy who didn’t like Dade approached the hat, and Hermione made a mental note to remember his name in case he caused problems in the future. She was well aware of her cousin’s past as a bully, but she also knew he’d been working so hard on improving his anger issues so that he wouldn’t lash out like he used to. In fact, he had the best control of his temper of all the kids their age that she knew. There was no doubt in her mind that it was this Mulciber boy who had started whatever it was that had happened between the two.</p><p>“SLYTHERIN!” the hat shouted, much to the Mulciber’s delight.</p><p>Hermione frowned at that. She was glad to see that this Mulciber boy wouldn’t be in the same house as Dade, but she also worried that the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin would only escalate whatever issues they’d had back in the hall. Perhaps she could bring the issue to Hydrus’ attention and see if he and Draco would keep an eye on the situation.</p><p>“He cares too much about blood, and not in the fun way,” Luna said without prompting.</p><p>Hermione cocked her head to the side. “Who?” She decided against asking what the fun way of caring about blood was.</p><p>“Silas Mulciber. He had all sorts of silly ideas about lost heirs.”</p><p>“That’s Luna Speak for ‘the boy’s a blood purist and a git’,” George explained.</p><p>That… actually made quite a bit of sense. If Mulciber had said something against muggle-borns or half-bloods, then of course Dade wouldn’t want anything to do with him. He was still a muggle-born, after all, even with his new wizarding surname and a summer spent in a pureblood family’s manor. People would still hate him for his blood, as barbaric as such prejudice was.</p><p>“Weasley, Ginevra!” Professor McGonagall called.</p><p>“Our baby sister!” the twins exclaimed together.</p><p>Hermione watched as the youngest Weasley made her way up to the hat. Maybe it was the benefit of going last or a leftover spark of anger with Mulciber, but the little redheaded girl had a look of determination on her face that none of the other first years had.</p><p>The hat barely made it onto the girl’s head before declaring: “GRYFFINDOR!”</p><p>Ginny sat down beside Dade at the Gryffindor table, and the two quickly struck up a conversation.</p><p>George pretended to wipe tears from his eyes. “Our little Ginny’s grown up so fast, hasn’t she, Fred?”</p><p>“It seems like only yesterday that she was summoning fudge out of the kitchen after Mum told her no,” Fred agreed.</p><p>“Save it for when she’s around to hear you embarrassing her,” Hermione teasingly scolded them.</p><p>It wasn’t much longer before Headmaster Dumbledore made yet another bizarre welcoming speech. He’d also introduced their new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, some fiction novelist called Gilderoy Lockhart. Hermione thought he was terribly handsome and wouldn’t at all mind getting to see such a good looking man on a regular basis, but she didn’t see how they could learn Defense from someone who wrote fantastical adventure books for a living. Writing about vampires and ghouls didn’t equate to having experience with them.</p><p>Finally, after the headmaster finished up with his nonsense, the feast appeared. Hermione delighted in how fascinated Luna was by the food magically appearing. The girl had asked all sorts of questions about what kind of magic the house elves might use to deliver the food from the kitchens onto the correct plates. She was going to thrive in Ravenclaw.</p><p>Halfway through the feast, Hermione heard Hydrus tell her through their twin link: <i>The headmaster tensed up at Dade’s name, but he got weirdly happy when he was sorted into Gryffindor.</i></p><p>Hermione didn’t like the sound of that at all. They’d been warned that Dumbledore didn’t like the Gaunt family due to their ancestral ties to Salazar Slytherin, but for a man his age to react negatively to a child with that name was quite unsettling.</p><p><i>Do you think he’s hoping getting sorted into Gryffindor will mean Dade’s easy to manipulate?</i> she cautiously asked her brother.</p><p>For whatever reason, Dumbledore seemed to have an almost unhealthy obsession with Gryffindor house. She had her suspicions that he must see them as being more aligned to his own goals—whatever those were supposed to be—and tried to get their favor in order to utilize them for his gain later. Sirius’ comments about how he’d felt like Dumbledore had recruited him for a war he’d wanted to remain neutral in only added to her concerns.</p><p>A derisive snort made its way through the link. <i>Either that, or he’s hoping he can “save” Dade from us evil, Dark witches and wizards.</i></p><p><i>As if he’s not at least as Dark as us</i>, Hermione mused.</p><p>Dade didn’t just have a Dark core and the ability to speak Parseltongue; he was also fascinated by Dark creatures and had asked Hermione all sorts of questions about them after learning that they existed in the magical world. He’d also managed to corner Professor Quirrell about vampires a few times, and never walked away disappointed. Even when he’d learned that studying Dark creatures was deemed controversial several decades ago in wizarding Britain, he’d just said “that’s stupid” and kept doing it.</p><p><i>We’ll have to keep an eye on both Dade and Dumbledore to just to be safe</i>, Hydrus decided.</p><p><i>Absolutely</i>, Hermione agreed. <i>And Hydrus?</i></p><p>
  <i>Yes, Hermione?</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Keep an eye on that Mulciber boy, would you? He doesn’t seem to like Dade very much.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Definitely. I can’t say I much like the kid either if I’m being honest. He was sucking up to Draco and Theo as if they were royalty.</i>
</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes. Definitely a blood purist then if he was trying to ger an in with a Malfoy and a Nott. <i>That’s the last thing Draco’s ego needs.</i></p><p>
  <i>Ugh, tell me about it. Next thing you know, he’ll have an army of little sycophantic minions.</i>
</p><p><i>Maybe he’ll use his powers for good</i>, Hermione supposed, <i>use his minions to take down Dumbledore or something.</i></p><p>She could feel her twin’s amusement echo through the bond. <i>If only.</i></p><p>Hermione glanced between Dumbledore, Dade, and Mulciber. She didn’t like the way any of them were looking at one another. <i>If only indeed</i>, she agreed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Gilderoy Lockhart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>it's hydrus' first day of classes. if only he could get through them without being hounded by the annoying new defense professor.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>regretfully i don't own that bigot rowling's plot-hole filled series</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first day of the new school year was finally here, and Hydrus was ecstatic. While last year’s schedule had paired up Slytherin with Gryffindor more than any other house, this year would have a more equal split between the three, giving him the chance to see his friends in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw more often. It would be great to sit with Hermione and Padma and Ron in more classes, even at the expense of having to see more of Terry Boot and that prat Justin Finch-Fletchley who never shut up about having gotten into Eton right before his Hogwarts letter came.</p>
<p>Hydrus’ Monday schedule was surprisingly laidback: Herbology with the Ravenclaws in the morning and Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors in the afternoon. The only downside was that History of Magic—which he’d be having with the Hufflepuffs—was sandwiched between the other two classes. He just hoped he’d have enough time to wake up between his Professor Binns-induced nap and Defense.</p>
<p>However, Hydrus did have one major concern about Defense: the books. For some reason, Professor Lockhart had assigned a set of self-aggrandizing adventure novels that he’d written instead of a regular textbook. What could they possibly learn from a bunch of stories? </p>
<p>When he said as much to his classmates, he got a rather shocking response. According to Draco and Theo, the books were allegedly true. Hydrus knew that was impossible because of all the inaccuracies in <i>Wandering with Werewolves</i>. Sirius had taught him quite a lot about werewolves over the summer for some reason, and based on those teachings, Professor Lockhart hadn’t gotten a single detail right outside of knowing that werewolves shift on the night of the full moon. He could only assume that the rest of the books were just as inaccurate.</p>
<p>“You can’t be serious,” had been Hydrus’ initial reaction.</p>
<p>Hermione had been just as incredulous as Hydrus. “Are you telling me that people actually think these books are true?” she’d asked their friends, seemingly unable to believe that such a thing could be possible.</p>
<p>“Yup,” said Theo, popping the ‘p’. “They seem to think he’s some kind of adventuring hero.”</p>
<p>“But his stories are easily disproved,” Hermione argued.</p>
<p>Draco rolled his eyes. “His fanbase of lonely middle-aged witches and, apparently, Headmaster Dumbledore don’t seem to care.”</p>
<p>Hydrus and Hermione groaned in unison. All they could do was hope that the Defense curse kicked in early this year.</p>
<p>After they’d finished their breakfast, Hydrus and his friends from both Slytherin and Ravenclaw made their way down to the greenhouses for Herbology. According to their textbooks, they’d be working with some truly fascinating plants this year.</p>
<p>While first year had been dedicated to innocuous plants commonly used in brewing potions—with the exception of devil’s snare—second year promised a better look at semi-sentient plants. Hydrus had never heard of plants with personalities or intelligence levels before, and he was thrilled to get a chance to see some in person. He was finally starting to understand why Neville liked Herbology so much. It was far more interesting than regular muggle gardening.</p>
<p>“Well, if it isn’t Harry Potter.”</p>
<p>Hydrus’ tensed at the sound of his old name. No one called him that anymore, at least not that he’d heard. People might still claim that he was their Boy Who Lived, but they seemed to have enough decency to call him the right name.</p>
<p>“I’m not Harry Potter,” Hydrus said. He turned around to face whoever it was that had made the mistake, only to groan when he saw it was Professor Lockhart. There was no way this would turn out well.</p>
<p>“Well, of course you are,” Professor Lockhart told him. “Now, why don’t the rest of you run along to class so I can have a quick chat with your friend?”</p>
<p><i>Get Professor Sprout</i>, Hydrus told his twin through their link.</p>
<p>Hermione gave no indication that she’d gotten the message, but told Draco and Theo: “Come on. We don’t want to be late to class.” The boys didn’t seem convinced, but they did as they were told.</p>
<p>“Harry, Harry, Harry,” Professor Lockhart trilled like an annoying tropical bird.</p>
<p>“Professor, my name is Hydrus.”</p>
<p>Professor Lockhart gave him an odd sort of look that Hydrus could only assume was meant to indicate sympathy despite its overwhelming fakeness. “Yes, I did hear all about that whole name debacle. It must be so hard for you to have that awful Death Eater name thrust upon you. But don’t worry, Harry. I’ll be sure to always call you by your real name.”</p>
<p>“Hydrus Lestrange <i>is</i> my real name,” Hydrus replied through gritted teeth.</p>
<p>“It’s alright, Harry,” Professor Lockhart told him in the sort of reassuring tone that didn’t reassure him at all. “You don’t have to pretend for me. I can tell how much this association with such a Dark family is burdening you. We’ll figure out how to get your proper name back.”</p>
<p>Hydrus was going to kill this man. He was sure of it. All he needed to do was figure out how to do it without leaving any evidence of his involvement. No one got away with insulting his family.</p>
<p>Before he could get too creative with his murder fantasies, Professor Sprout made her way over toward them. “What seems to be the problem, gentlemen?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Nothing at all,” Professor Lockhart assured her, putting an unwanted hand around Hydrus’ shoulders. “I was just introducing myself to young Harry Potter here. Do you mind if I borrow him for a few minutes?”</p>
<p>‘Help me,’ Hydrus mouthed.</p>
<p>Professor Sprout gave a slight nod, acknowledging his silent message. “Absolutely not,” she told the Defense professor in a tone that left no room for argument. “I’ll not have you disrupting Mr. <i>Lestrange’s</i> learning like this, Gilderoy.”</p>
<p>“Surely you won’t miss him for just the first few minutes,” Professor Lockhart insisted, his grip around Hydrus’ shoulders growing tighter.</p>
<p>Professor Sprout balked at that. “And have him miss the safety instructions? We’ll be working with highly dangerous plants this year. You wouldn’t want him to get injured in class because you kept him too long, would you?”</p>
<p>Luckily, even Professor Lockhart wasn’t stupid enough to ignore a thinly veiled threat. “No, of course not,” he assured her, finally letting go of Hydrus. “I’m sure I can find time in my schedule to talk to young Harry later.”</p>
<p>With Professor Lockhart finally gone, Hydrus was able to follow Professor Sprout to the greenhouse where the rest of his classmates were already waiting. Draco and Theo had saved him a seat at their table, so he went over to join them, feeling incredibly grateful that his being late wouldn’t force him to work with someone like Terry Boot.</p>
<p>Hydrus saw that his sister had pulled out her muggle pen and notebook and set them in front of her on her table. Smiling, he decided to follow suit.</p>
<p>Over the summer, Hermione had confessed to Professor Snape that she was struggling to finish her assigned essays within the bounds of the maximum permitted length. The professor had offered to go over the assignments with her and read her work, and, after just a few paragraphs, managed to identify the problem. Hermione was providing too much unnecessary evidence to back up her essays.</p>
<p>Because Professor Snape and Aunt Narcissa had both written research papers for their masteries, they teamed up to teach all of the children proper writing tips. From now on, they were to take their notes with a fountain pen and muggle notebook, outline what they wanted to accomplish, and then, once they were certain they understood the assignment, they could begin their essays. To the surprise of all the children, this method had them completing their assignments much faster than before.</p>
<p>Now that they knew they could use pens and paper to take notes, Hydrus and Hermione had stocked up on both. They’d color-coded and labeled one notebook for each class, and decided to buy extras in each color just in case they filled up their notebooks before winter break. Hermione had even gotten a pack of highlighters in different colors that lined up with some kind of study system she’d created for herself back in primary school.</p>
<p>“What sort of quill is that?” Theo asked when he saw Hydrus and Draco pull out notebooks and pens of their own.</p>
<p>“It’s a muggle quill with ink already inside of it so that you don’t need ink pots,” Draco informed him in the superior voice he now used whenever he got to explain muggle things to other purebloods, acting as if he hadn’t only just learned about it. “Muggles call them pens.”</p>
<p>Theos’ eyes lit up with confusion and curiosity. “Like a self-inking quill?”</p>
<p>“Yes, but much easier to write with. And these books,” Draco held up his notebook, “are full of sheets of lined paper, which is a type of muggle parchment made out of trees.”</p>
<p>Seeing Theo’s fascination with the pen and notebook, Hydrus grabbed some spares out of his bag. “Would you like one for this class? I bought extras.”</p>
<p>“Yes, please,” Theo said so quickly that he almost tripped over the words.</p>
<p>Hermione must have had a similar conversation with Pansy and Padma, because Hydrus could now all three girls were holding notebooks and pens. Both Pansy and Padma were just as enamored with their new muggle school supplies as Theo.</p>
<p>Hydrus imagined that he must have been wearing the same expression when he saw magic for the first time. It was quite fulfilling to be the one introducing someone to something new for once.</p>
<p>Professor Sprout called the class to attention. “Today, we’ll be repotting mandrakes,” she announced. “But first, who can tell me a bit about them?”</p>
<p>To no one’s surprise, Hermione and Theo’s hands were the first to shoot up.</p>
<p>“Ladies first,” decided Professor Sprout, gesturing toward Hermione.</p>
<p>“Mandrakes, also called Mandragora, are a powerful restorative plant used in a variety of poison antidotes,” Hermione explained, sounding more fascinated than factual like she had in most of last year’s lessons. “However, they’re quite dangerous on their own as the cry of an adult mandrake is fatal to those who hear it.”</p>
<p>Professor Sprout smiled at her. “Excellent summary, Ms. Lestrange. Ten points to Ravenclaw.” Turning to Hydrus’ table, she asked: “Mr. Nott, would you like to add anything else?”</p>
<p>Theo hesitated at first, but then answered: “Due to the mandrake’s dependence on vampire blood as a seedling, they’re classified as Dark plants and cannot be bred in Britain.” He paused to look up at Professor Sprout, and seemed pleased to find her nodding along. “Only licensed herbologists are permitted to import them, and it must be done with a valid permit.”</p>
<p>“Very good, Mr. Nott,” Professor Sprout commended him. “Ten points to Slytherin.”</p>
<p>Professor Sprout took the next half hour to go over the safety instructions for handling mandrakes, and also to review some of the more general greenhouse procedures they’d learned the previous year. Hydrus had a much easier time keeping up with his notes writing now that he knew he could use a pen in class, and had been able to legibly print out all the new rules and procedures on the very first page of his notebook so he could use it as a reference for the rest of the year. Draco and Theo had done the same, with Theo occasionally mumbling to himself about how easy pens were to use.</p>
<p>“Just wait until he learns about Hermione’s highlighters,” Draco had whispered partway through the lecture.</p>
<p>By the time they got to the practical portion of the lesson, everyone felt thoroughly prepared. They had all received a pair of enchanted earmuffs that would block out the mandrakes’ cries, knew the safest way to hold the plants to avoid being bitten, and even understood how the bloodmeal soil they were using would properly nourish the mandrakes so that they could grow up healthy and strong.</p>
<p>The mandrakes themselves were fairly disgusting to look at, with their pruny baby faces and miserable expressions. It was clear that they didn’t enjoy any part of the repotting even though they were getting too big for the pots they’d been shipped to Britain in. They reminded Hydrus of spoiled, bratty children having a temper tantrum.</p>
<p>It hadn’t been quite the start to Herbology that Hydrus had been hoping for, but the mandrakes had still been entertaining. At the very least, they seemed a bit more pleasant than the cantankerous cacti they were supposed to care for later in the year.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>History of Magic had proved to be just as painfully boring as last year. The only reason Ron managed to stay awake was because Hydrus had sat next to him and would periodically draw faces or write messages in the margins of his notebook.<p>Ron, much like his friends, had brought notebooks and pens to school this year. He’d gotten the idea from his father, who had gotten it Fred and George, who had gotten it from Hermione. His parents had initially been a bit worried about purchasing extra school supplies, but after seeing how much cheaper paper and pens were, they quickly got on board with the suggestion. With notebooks costing barely a tenth of the price for a roll of parchment, the switch to paper for note-taking saved them enough money that they were able to go out for both lunch and ice cream after they finished shopping. This was quite a big deal, as his parents almost never went to restaurants due to the costs of feeding so many kids.</p>
<p>Much to Ron’s surprise, he’d begun gaining popularity among his fellow Hufflepuffs for his “wicked cool” notebooks and pens. Justin Finch-Fletchley of all people had been the first one to say something. He’d been thrilled to learn that he was permitted to take notes on paper, and had written to his parents immediately to request a full set of spiral notebooks and a pack of pens. After that, all the other second year Hufflepuffs bombarded both Ron and Justin questions about how they could get their own. Ron wasn’t used to having other people feel jealous of <i>him</i> for having something new and cool, and he excitedly answered as many of their questions as he could.</p>
<p>It had also given him something to bond with Justin over. They had been civil last year, but they hadn’t been at all close. Justin came from a wealthy muggle family, and his constant talking about it made him come off as incredibly snobbish. Now, though, after talking a bit and discovering they had a few common interests, Ron could see that snobbishness for what it was: a cover for Justin’s insecurities about being a muggle-born. Ron still wasn’t friends with the other boy by any stretch of the imagination, but he could at least see where the boy was coming from. He knew from Hydrus and Hermione just how difficult it could be find one’s place in the magical world after living in the muggle world for so long. Because of that, he was certain the boy bragged about his wealth so much because he didn’t know how else to seem important.</p>
<p>“Do you think Binns will ever cover something besides goblin wars?” Hydrus whispered, pulling Ron out of his own head.</p>
<p>Ron shrugged. “Not likely. The twins are still learning about goblin wars, and they’re in their fourth year.”</p>
<p>“What a waste. You’d think goblins were the only race that had any history with the way he goes on.”</p>
<p>“It <i>is</i> rather limiting, isn’t it?” Justin chimed in. “How are us muggle-raised wizards meant to learn anything about this world if we don’t even get a proper History class?”</p>
<p>If Hydrus was surprised to hear Justin join their conversation, he didn’t show it. Ron knew that the two didn’t get along, and that it had to do with that posh muggle school Justin had nearly attended—the one called Ethan or Eaten or something along those lines. He didn’t fully understand what that was all about, but he could tell it annoyed Hydrus to no end.</p>
<p>But ever since the whole notebook discussion, Justin had been doing this strange thing of sitting near Ron not only in all of their classes but also in the Great Hall during meals. It wasn’t causing any problems, so Ron had decided to go along with it for now. He supposed this shift now meant Justin planned to talk to Ron’s friends as well.</p>
<p>“Hermione said almost the exact same thing last year,” Hydrus said, looking at Justin with newfound interest.</p>
<p>That gave Ron an idea. It was one thing to complain about a class for being boring, but insinuating that the limited scope of the class was detrimental to the education of muggle-born and muggle-raised wizards might be a valid enough reason to force change. He didn’t want any of his classmates to feel like they were missing out on something just because Binns was an awful professor.</p>
<p>“You should file a complaint with the Board of Governors using that reason,” Ron suggested to Justin. “Maybe talk to a few more muggle-borns and have them sign off on it, too. I’m sure Hermione would agree to help.”</p>
<p>Justin’s jaw dropped. “Hogwarts has a Board of Governors? Why didn’t anyone tell me? I’d have filed the complaint last year if I’d known.”</p>
<p>Ron was shocked by what Justin had said. Were the muggle-born students truly not informed of how the school worked? That was a massive and potentially dangerous oversight. What if something happened to one of the students and they didn’t know how to report it?</p>
<p>“You’re not the only one they didn’t tell,” Hydrus admitted, sounding rather bitter. “I only found out about it because Draco’s father is one of the governors.”</p>
<p>“Well, you can bet I’ll be bringing <i>that</i> up in my complaint as well,” Justin decided. “It’s not right that the muggle-born and muggle-raised students aren’t given basic information about the school like that. That’s practically discrimination.”</p>
<p>Hydrus grinned. “I couldn’t agree more.”</p>
<p>Ron had a feeling that there was more to his friend’s interaction with Justin than what he’d heard, but he wasn’t entirely sure of what it was. It kind of reminded him of that weird interaction his dad had with Lord Malfoy at Flourish and Blotts over the summer after they’d both voted in favor of some bill on muggle artefacts. It wasn’t quite friendly, but it carried a certain weight of mutual respect. </p>
<p>He wasn’t all that concerned about whatever deeper meaning it was that he couldn’t figure out. For now, all that mattered was that a tentative agreement had been made. And it was all because Ron and Justin had bonded over some muggle notebooks.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Hydrus rubbed the sleep from his eyes, but even that couldn’t wipe away the mental fog that had come with dozing off in History of Magic. He’d managed to stay awake for the most part by talking to Ron and Justin, but even that hadn’t kept him from nodding off a couple of times during the lecture. It was only the first day of classes, and he was already sick of learning about the goblin wars.<p>But not even the dreadful droning of Professor Binns’ History of Magic lectures could have prepared Hydrus for the nightmare that was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lockhart. When Hydrus had entered the classroom, he’d found their Defense professor standing in the front of the class with the fakest, most blinding smile he’d ever seen. Behind him was a portrait of himself wearing the same exact smile. There would be no recovering from a start like that.</p>
<p>Hydrus followed Draco and Theo toward the back of the room where Neville was already waiting for them. He sat down in the empty seat beside Neville and tried to settle in, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him. He was sure it was Professor Lockhart, but he refused to acknowledge the man’s attention, turning instead to Neville in the hopes that the professor would give up. </p>
<p>“Is it just me, or is Lockhart staring at us?” Neville whispered.</p>
<p>“He is,” Hydrus confirmed without looking. “Just try to ignore it. He’s been trying to get my attention all day.”</p>
<p>Neville cast a quick side glance in the professor’s direction and grimaced. “Let’s talk about something else then until class starts,” he suggested. “Maybe he won’t bother you if you look busy.”</p>
<p>Hydrus doubted something like that would stop Lockhart, but he nodded in agreement anyway. “You said your Gran got you a new wand over the summer, right?”</p>
<p>“She did,” Neville said proudly, pulling out a wand that was undeniably his. “Oak with a core of unicorn hair. Ollivander said it was best suited for Charms and earth magic. He also gave Gran an earful about making me use my dad’s wand.”</p>
<p>Toward the end of first year, Professor McGonagall had noticed that Neville’s wand looked far too battle-worn for an eleven year old, and had asked Neville if he needed any advice on proper wand care. Neville had eagerly agreed, and, in doing so, had let it slip that he was using his father’s wand that had in fact been in a number of battles during the last war. Rather than give Neville those wand care tips, McGonagall ranted about how irresponsible Neville’s gran was for trying to make him use a secondhand wand. She then sent Madame Longbottom a letter containing the same exact rant, along with demands that she take her grandson to purchase a proper wand over the summer.</p>
<p>Hydrus grinned. He was glad his friend finally had the right kind of wand. “Charms and earth magic, huh? That sounds perfect for you.”</p>
<p>Neville beamed at him. “Thanks! Oh, I also wanted to tell you in person how much I loved that book you sent me on restricted plants. It was fascinating! There were even some in there that my family has kept in our greenhouses since before the restrictions were passed.”</p>
<p>The two boys continued to talk about plants and books they’d read over the summer as the classroom filled with students. Most of the Slytherins and the boys from Gryffindor had migrated toward the back of the classroom, while the Gryffindor girls and a few unlucky stragglers were stuck in seats toward the front. Only Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil—both of whom were Gryffindors—seemed excited to be in the first row.</p>
<p>Once everyone had arrived, Professor Lockhart wandered from his portrait only far enough that he could get a better look at it. Portrait Lockhart winked at his real life counterpart, which led to most of the students rolling their eyes.</p>
<p><i>”Me,” he said, pointing at it and winking as well. “Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five time winner of <b>Witch Weekly’s</b> Most Charming Smile Award—but I don’t want to talk about that. I didn’t get rid of the Bandon Banshee by </i>smiling<i> at her.”</i></p>
<p>Professor Lockhart directed the full blast of that obnoxious smile toward the table Pansy was sharing with Daphne Greengrass, causing Daphne to frown and Pansy to go a sickly shade of green. The professor didn’t seem to notice their negative reactions at all.</p>
<p>“Before we get to our practical lesson for the day, why don’t we see who all did the reading with a fun little pop quiz?” Professor Lockhart continued, immune to the groans coming from several students. “The person with the highest score will get ten house points and an autographed copy of <i>Wandering with Werewolves</i>.”</p>
<p>“I’d rather pickle rat spleens with Snape,” Neville muttered under his breath, much to Hydrus’ amusement.</p>
<p>Professor Lockhart passed out the quizzes, which looked more like exams based on their length, and returned to the front of the class with a flourish of his robes that wasn’t nearly as spectacular as when Professor Snape did it. “You all have thirty minutes starting… now!”</p>
<p>Hydrus looked down at his quiz, and was amazed to find that it was even worse than his incredibly low expectations. Every single question was about Lockhart—from his favorite color to his ideal first date to what sort of Christmas gifts he liked. Not a single one of the fifty questions had anything to do with the subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts.</p>
<p>He found himself slipping into his old primary school tactics of trying to get the most average possible grade so as not to attract attention. The last thing he wanted was to score either high enough or low enough that Professor Lockhart would try to talk to him. It was bad enough that the professor already had a strange preoccupation with him. To stand out would be detrimental to his plan of ignoring the man as much as humanly possible.</p>
<p>A half an hour came and went, and then the quiz was mercifully over. Hydrus didn’t think he’d gotten more than a third of the answers right, but he doubted anyone would get the majority of them.</p>
<p>“Really, class, these results are dreadful,” Professor Lockhart complained as he graded the quizzes. “And here I thought I’d done my best to make it easy on you since it’s only your first day. Not one of you managed to get above sixty percent.” He frowned deeply. “However, it seems I must congratulate Ms. Greengrass on having correctly answered the most questions. Ten points to…?”</p>
<p>“Slytherin, Sir,” Daphne replied blandly. Despite her neutral expression, the intense spark of agitation in her eyes betrayed just how much she hadn’t wanted the so-called honor of winning.</p>
<p>Professor Lockhart beamed at her, which had no effect whatsoever on Slytherin’s Ice Queen. “Ah, wonderful. Ten points to Slytherin, Ms. Greengrass.” He pulled a book from his desk and made his way over to Daphne’s seat. “Your autographed book, as promised.”</p>
<p>“That’s not necessary, Professor,” Daphne said in a voice that reminded Hydrus of Aunt Narcissa’s attempts at being polite about how annoyed she was. “I couldn’t possibly accept such a… gracious gift.”</p>
<p>“Nonsense, Ms. Greengrass. You’ve earned it.”</p>
<p>“Delightful,” Daphne forced herself to reply.</p>
<p>As soon as Professor Lockhart turned his back, Daphne dropped her pureblood mask and glared at the autographed book as though it had personally offended her. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, however, were green with jealousy as they eyed up Daphne’s “prize”. </p>
<p>Lockhart bent down behind his desk and brought up what looked like a birdcage with a blanket on top of it. “Now it’s time to start your practical lesson. As you well know, <i>it is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm.</i></p>
<p>Hydrus sighed. There was no way this self-centered moron would be capable of handling anything that a normal person would classify as frightening. He just hoped that no one would get hurt from whatever it was that Professor Lockhart had planned.</p>
<p>“Are you ready?” the professor asked the class. Not waiting for an answer, he ripped the blanket off the top of the birdcage to reveal… what looked like little blue sprites. “Behold! Freshly caught Cornish pixies!”</p>
<p>
  <i>Seamus Finnigan couldn’t control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn’t mistake for a scream of terror.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>”Yes?” He smiled at Seamus.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>”Well, they’re not—they’re not very—<b>dangerous</b>, are they?” Seamus choked.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>”Don’t be so sure!” said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. “Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!”</i>
</p>
<p>Seamus once again couldn’t hold back his laughter. “I’ll take your word for it, Professor.”</p>
<p>Professor Lockhart glared daggers at Seamus. “Well, if that’s what you think, let’s see how you handle this!” He unlocked the cage and let the pixies run rampant throughout the classroom.</p>
<p>All hell broke loose. The pixies flew out of the cage like a vicious swarm of hornets, making mayhem everywhere they went. Books and quills went flying as tables were overturned, while some of the whimsical glass baubles on Professor Lockhart’s desk were smashed against the flagstone floors. Several of the pixies even tried to drag Goyle off somewhere, though he managed to hex them into unconsciousness before they succeeded. </p>
<p>
  <i>”Come on now—round them up, round them up, they’re only pixies,” Lockhart shouted.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, “<b>Peskipiksi Pesternomi</b>!”</i>
</p>
<p>If anything, that only served to further agitate the pixies. One of them grabbed Lockhart by the arm and pulled his wand from his hand, throwing it across the room. Another one picked up Daphne’s autographed book and threw it at the professor’s head, only narrowly missing.</p>
<p>Neville turned to Hydrus, arching an incredulous eyebrow. “I don’t think that was a real spell.”</p>
<p>“No, Neville, I don’t think it was,” Hydrus agreed.</p>
<p>Just as several pixies teamed up to lift their own cage and prepared to throw it, Professor Lockhart dived under his desk. “Come on, students! You can corral them!” he shouted even in spite of his cowering.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Crabbe said skeptically, though he had drawn his wand just to be safe. “Your pixie pepperoni spell didn’t seem to stop them, so I doubt we can do much better.”</p>
<p>Under any other circumstances, Hydrus would have laughed at the phrase “pixie pepperoni”. However, with a swarm of pixies who were hellbent on destroying everything and everyone in the room, he struggled to find any humor in his classmate’s words.</p>
<p>“Oh, for the love of—” Millicent Bullstrode grumbled, drawing her wand with a flourish. “<i>Petrificus Totalus!</i>” she shouted at one of the pixies, causing it to go stiff and plummet to the ground.</p>
<p>Looking back and forth between Millicent and the petrified pixie, Pansy shouted: “Everyone, follow Millicent’s lead!”</p>
<p>Soon enough, all the students were casting the body bind curse at the pixies. They all dropped to the floor with undignified thuds, sometimes accompanied by the crash of whatever they’d been holding. The whole ordeal left the room in a frightful state, with curtains torn and tables upended and shards of glass all over the place. It looked as though the room had just endured a natural disaster.</p>
<p>Yet none of the students were particularly bothered by their surroundings. All they cared about was that each and every one of the pixies was currently out of commission. The chaos had passed.</p>
<p>“What now?” Lavender Brown asked as she looked around at the mess that had been made.</p>
<p>“I say we leave them loose in his classroom for him to deal with later,” Seamus suggested.</p>
<p>“Seconded,” Dean Thomas agreed.</p>
<p>Pansy gave the plan an approving nod. “It would serve him right.”</p>
<p>Hydrus agreed. It wasn’t their responsibility to play clean-up crew for an irresponsible teacher. Lockhart could deal with it himself.</p>
<p>Without another word, all the students filed out of the classroom, leaving the still petrified pixies on the floor. After all, they had technically dealt with the problem and stopped all the pixies. If Professor Lockhart wanted them all put back in their cage as well, he should have specified.</p>
<p>“Well,” said Draco in a clipped tone as the Slytherins made their way to their dungeon dormitories, “that went even worse than I expected.”</p>
<p>Daphne simply shrugged, holding up the shredded remains of the “prize” Lockhart had given her. “At least I don’t have to pretend I care about his stupid autograph anymore.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Not So Subtle Machinations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>everyone has their own plots, but not all can be successful.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i own nothing<br/>2. i won't apologize</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione Lestrange did not consider herself to be a particularly violent or vengeful person, but even she had her limits. It took less than one month of suffering through what passed for classes with Professor Lockhart for her to reach her breaking point. They weren’t learning anything. He wasn’t even teaching. All he did was have students help him act out scenes from his own books, occasionally peppering in comments about how great and powerful he thought he was. And not to mention the Cornish pixie incident her brother had told her about! That class was a nightmare.</p><p>Because of the rumored curse on the Defense position, Hermione had initially opted to bide her time and let the magic take its course. Now, though, she was beginning to think she’d have to intervene if she wanted Lockhart gone. She wasn’t planning to get him to quit or be fired, per se, but there was nothing wrong with kickstarting whatever curse magic was used to force Defense professors out of Hogwarts.</p><p>Hermione had spent the past two weeks watching and waiting, analyzing every little thing that happened in Professor Lockhart’s classroom. The man was vain, arrogant, and obsessed with being the center of attention. He cared about his wavy blonde hair and perfectly white teeth and the sound of his own voice more than any normal person should. They would perfect starting points for making his life a living hell.</p><p>Now that she had gathered her intel, Hermione needed to formulate a plan of attack. She figured she could use Lockhart’s vanity against him and drive him out of the school by attacking his looks. There was just one problem: she had no idea how to carry out such an attack. She had plenty of ideas, of course, but the execution was a mystery to her.</p><p>What she needed was to consult with the experts on such plots. And so, when Hermione spotted Fred and George Weasley enter the Ravenclaw common room with desserts that they’d clearly just stolen from the kitchen, she made a beeline straight for them.</p><p>“Hello, Gred and Forge,” she greeted the twins, trying to act normal but lacking enough experience with rule-breaking to pull it off. She was still nervous about plotting against a teacher, even if it was an idiot like Lockhart.</p><p>George bowed with a dramatic flourish. “Why hello, our dear Hermione.”</p><p>“What can we do for you?” Fred asked, mirroring his twin’s actions. </p><p>“I was wondering if I could ask you a couple of questions.”</p><p>Fred and George exchanged a look before turning their attention back to Hermione. “What kind of questions?” George inquired.</p><p>Hermione sucked in a breath. “In the muggle world, there’s a potion to help balding men regrow their hair,” she said as casually as she could. “I was wondering if there was anything in the magical world that had the opposite effect.”</p><p>Fred arched a curious eyebrow. “Now what would a proper young lady like you want with a thing like that?”</p><p>“Surely you could just work some of that metamorphmagus magic if you wanted to go for the skinhead look,” George added.</p><p>“Oh, it’s not for me. It’s more of a… gift.”</p><p>“A gift?” Fred repeated.</p><p>Lowering her voice, Hermione admitted: “I just thought Professor Lockhart might appreciate a special new shampoo from an anonymous admirer. We all know how much he cares about his hair after all.”</p><p>Matching Cheshire grins spread across Fred and George’s faces, and Hermione knew she’d made the right decision in coming to them for help.</p><p>“A gift from anonymous admirer, you say?” George asked as he put his arm around Hermione’s shoulders.</p><p>Fred put his arm on top of his twin’s. “We should be able to manage that.”</p><p>“But are you sure a hair loss potion is a good first move?”</p><p>“He might be more enamored by sweets.”</p><p>“Perhaps some charcoal teeth chocolate?”</p><p>“Our own recipe,” Fred stage whispered.</p><p>George smirked. “The key ingredient is a light filling infused with saliva-activated charcoal dust.”</p><p>“It took ages to figure out how to keep the charcoal from activating before being eaten, but the results were worth it.”</p><p>Hermione was speechless. She knew the twins were bright, but their idea was nothing short of genius. To have already developed a prank candy using nothing more than their knowledge of potions and innate curiosity was beyond anything most students could dream of—and they’d managed it at only fourteen.</p><p>“What would you like in exchange for slipping some of these chocolates of yours into Professor Lockhart’s mail?” Hermione asked once she recovered from her awe. “And for helping me with more targeted pranks against him in the future?”</p><p>George gasped in mock scandal. “You dare to suggest we’d pull a prank on an esteemed professor like that?”</p><p>“And for reasons besides our own fun?” Fred added, pretending to be just as shocked as his brother.</p><p>“We have a sense of honor, you know.”</p><p>Fred nodded in agreement. “We’d never pull a prank for payment.”</p><p>“But we won’t fault you for your logic.”</p><p>“You are, after all, related to a bunch of Slytherins.”</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes, but she refrained from bringing up that their older brother Percy was also in Slytherin. Mentioning him would only prove their point.</p><p>“However…” George began, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.</p><p>Fred glanced around the room to make sure no one was in listening distance. “We could always use a co-conspirator.”</p><p>“In the name of Ravenclaw house bonding, of course.”</p><p>“Of course,” Hermione agreed, catching on. “We wouldn’t want people to think we were plotting anything more than a bit of fun.”</p><p>“Precisely,” the twins said in unison.</p><p>Once again, Hermione had to admit that Fred and George were truly brilliant. If they didn’t accept payment, they’d be able to play off the whole prank—or, with any luck, series of pranks—as nothing more than the twins being their usual selves. It would be seen as a good laugh by the twin terrors of Ravenclaw, something they’d barely get more than a slap on the wrist for. No one needed to know anything about Hermione’s involvement, let alone her reasons for asking them to carry out this plot.</p><p>Giving them nothing in return still didn’t sit right with her though. She’d have to get them something, even if it wasn’t money. It wouldn’t be fair otherwise.</p><p>“There’s a muggle fiction book about a candy factory with all sorts of strange inventions, including one where a chewing gum accidentally turned a girl into a blueberry. <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i>,” Hermione remembered. “I know you don’t want payment, but what if I got you a copy for the purpose of providing inspiration?” </p><p>George grinned. “Well if it’s for the sake of inspiration…”</p><p>“Then there’s no reason for us to turn down such a generous offer,” Fred finished.</p><p>Hermione stuck out both her hands so that she could shake on it with Fred and George at the same time. “In that case, gentlemen, I believe we have ourselves a deal.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Albus Dumbledore had been given a gift in the form of Daedalus Gaunt. Despite his name, the boy didn’t seem to be aware of his connection to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Gaunt. As far as anyone knew, the young new Gryffindor was a muggle-born orphan being raised by his uncle. That, combined with the obvious signs that the boy was recovering from some sort of trauma, could make him into a perfect little pawn.<p>Daedalus could become everything the Potter brat had failed to be: a brave little soul with a soft spot for the muggle world and a few unassigned Wizengamot seats he’d never assume he had. Dumbledore could prop the boy up as a new savior for the Light and a champion for muggle-borns—all while seizing the boy’s Wizengamot seats and siphoning funds from the Gaunt and Slytherin vaults. Gaining control of the boy’s magical guardianship, and soon, would be a major blow to the Dark.</p><p>It would also cripple Voldemort’s return to power. Even though Quirrell had failed to get the stone for his master the previous year, Dumbledore was sure the Dark Lord would rise once more. With both the Gaunt and Slytherin assets under Dumbledore’s control through the Gaunt boy, Voldemort would be without funds or a home to use as his base of operations.</p><p>The boy’s friendship with the youngest Weasley child could also work in his favor. Arthur and Molly Weasley were almost as clueless about the workings of the Wizengamot as any muggle-born. It hadn’t even occurred to them that Molly would have inherited the Prewett seats upon the deaths of her older twin brothers, and the couple had no idea that Dumbledore had been serving as proxy for those seats ever since. They’d never think to have the Gaunt boy look into his own heritage and claim his seats.</p><p>Dumbledore knew that his biggest failing with the Potter brat was allowing the boy to be sorted into Slytherin. There were a number of heirs in that house who had been able to educate the boy on the inner workings of the wizarding world. His unfettered access to that information had been Dumbledore’s downfall.</p><p>He still wanted Potter back on his side as the Boy Who Lived, but his use no longer extended beyond his celebrity. With Lockhart around to guide the boy on how to capitalize on his fame, Dumbledore had all the time in the world to focus on getting the Gaunt boy under his control. If he played his cards right, he’d have both of them on his side by the end the school year.</p><p>“You wanted to see me, Albus?”</p><p>Dumbledore looked up from the paperwork on his desk to see Gilderoy Lockhart standing in the doorway. The man was the perfect picture of the phrase “useful idiot”. With his only true ambitions stemming from a desire for money and fame, he was determined to get what he wanted and empty-headed enough to go along with any plan that promised to feed his insatiable greed. </p><p>“Yes, Gilderoy,” Dumbledore said. “Do come in.” </p><p>Lockhart sauntered over towards Dumbledore’s desk and settled into one of the visitor’s chairs. “What is it you wanted to discuss?” he asked, looking at his nails.</p><p>“I was hoping to hear a progress reporting concerning your attempts to help young Harry Potter,” Dumbledore explained jovially, pointedly ignoring how little Lockhart appeared to care.</p><p>Lockhart pursed his lips. “The brat is far too stubborn for his own good. I’ve had next to no luck getting through to him,” he admitted with a sigh.</p><p>Dumbledore worried this might happen. For as much as the boy wanted to claim he was a Lestrange, he still had the same Potter obstinance as James. Somehow, the Dursleys had never managed to beat the boy into full submission. He still had too much fight in him.</p><p>Yet this didn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. While the boy may have been born Dark, he appeared to have a strong sense of justice. As soon as Lockhart figured out a way to get through to the boy, he’d prove to be an incredible asset in the Light’s crusade.</p><p>“Have you considered taking a less direct approach?” Dumbledore suggested. “The boy pretends not to care about his fame or figurehead status, so it may be prudent to have him learn to trust you a bit before he sheds his false modesty.”</p><p>Lockhart considered it for a moment before agreeing, “Yes, that could work quite well. He wouldn’t want to tarnish his public image, after all, but he might just let his mask slip in private.”</p><p>“See, Gilderoy? We just need a change in tactics and a bit of patience to return him to his proper name of Harry Potter.” Dumbledore paused, choosing his next words wisely. It was time to really sell it. “Besides, he’s still recovering from spending an entire summer with Dark wizards. We have no idea what sort of brainwashing the boy went through.”</p><p>“You’re absolutely right,” Lockhart quickly agreed. “I hadn’t even thought about the level of damage the Malfoys might’ve inflicted upon the poor boy.”</p><p>Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes twinkling behind half-moon eyeglass frames. Lockhart wasn’t the most intelligent of men, but he had great intuition when it came to Dark wizards. Being forced to interact with the wealthier members of the Dark as a symptom of his fame had given him unique insight into just how insidious they truly were.</p><p>“Are you up to the task of reversing the damage?” Dumbledore inquired.</p><p>Lockhart waved him off. “It will be no small task, but I’m more than capable.”</p><p>“You have no idea how glad to hear that, Gilderoy.”</p><p>“Of course, Albus.” Lockhart replied earnestly. “It’s my duty as an honorary member of the Dark Force Defense League to save such a famous young boy from the dangers of the Dark faction.”</p><p>Dumbledore beamed at the younger man. “Now is there anything else you wished to discuss regarding the Potter boy?”</p><p>“Actually yes. I don’t like how close Potter is to Neville Longbottom,” Lockhart complained, the corners of his mouth turned down in the ghost of a frown. “It just isn’t right for a Longbottom to be friends with a Lestrange, not after what happened during the war.”</p><p>Dumbledore considered the young professor’s words. Even though he’d long suspected that the Lestranges hadn’t actually been the ones to torture the Longbottoms into insanity, he’d been grateful at the time for the excuse to do away with such monstrous Dark wizards. Besides, they had to be guilty of something equally heinous. He was certain.</p><p>Now, though, he could once again use the destroyed reputation of the Lestrange name in his favor. Even though the Potter brat had spent nearly an entire year suffering from the misguided desire to be a part of his original family, he could still be redeemed if he had the proper motivation.</p><p>“Is this your way of asking permission to drive a wedge between the two boys?” Dumbledore finally asked.</p><p>Lockhart chuckled. “No, not at all. I’d much rather play to Potter’s sense of guilt. If he finally gets it through his head just how harmful his current last name is, he might be more willing to become Harry Potter once more.”</p><p>Dumbledore was surprised by how clever of an idea that was. He hadn’t thought Lockhart capable of such sound thinking. To carry the last name Lestrange was a terrible blow to the boy’s hero imagine. He just needed to be made aware of it.</p><p>“In that case, I wish you the best in your endeavors,” Dumbledore said honestly. “If theres anything I can do to help, just let me know.”</p><p>Lockhart flashed Dumbledore one of his award-winning grins. “I’ll be sure to hold you to that, Albus.”</p><p>As the two men finished up their meeting, Dumbledore felt more hopeful than he had in months. This loss of Harry Potter was only temporary. Lockhart would have no problem getting the boy in line. Even better, it gave him time to focus on getting to the Gaunt boy. With both children under his control, the Dark wouldn’t stand a chance.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>The Department of Mysteries had been even busier than usual as of late. At first, the Unspeakables had believed they were working on a multitude of high priority investigations: the truths revealed in the Potter will, government corruption, experimental cures for spell damage currently thought to be permanent, the steadily increasing number of muggle-borns discovered each year, and a sharp decline in the health of magic in Britain. And then, over the summer, a long-forgotten prophecy revealed that every single one of these mysteries was tied together by Fate herself.<p>It had been Unspeakable Saul Croaker who noticed that an old, dusty prophecy orb by the late Cassandra Trelawney had been activated. For the first time since it was predicted nearly two centuries prior, the orb containing the Seer’s words had begun to glow. Four names had appeared with it as well, one of which had seemed a complete impossibility.</p><p>At a loss for what to do in such a situation, Unspeakable Croaker had summoned Amelia Bones—head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and one of the subjects of the prophecy. The two had listened to the prophecy, and, upon learning what it said, came to the decision that the Unspeakables and the DMLE would need to work together in absolute secret for the foreseeable future.</p><p>They decided on a three pronged approach. They’d coordinate with healers in the Permanent Spell Damage Unit of St. Mungo’s for a highly classified experiment, have a spy infiltrate Hogwarts, and begin a series of investigations into the other three names listed on the prophecy. The part Madame Bones was meant to play was fairly obvious, but there were concerns about how the other three fit into the equation. Until they had more information, all three were to be viewed as the possible False Lord that Cassandra Trelawney had referred to.</p><p>“Unspeakable Prince and Madame Bones have arrived,” announced a young Unspeakable that Croaker didn’t recognize. “They said they’d see you in the usual meeting room.”</p><p>Unspeakable Croaker nodded in confirmation that he’d heard the Unspeakable’s message. Sighing, he got up from his workbench and made his way over to the meeting room. It wouldn’t do to keep his guests waiting.</p><p>Little was known about Unspeakable Prince. A master of disguise, even his true name and appearance were a mystery to most. He most commonly appeared as a man in his thirties with long, dark hair and bright eyes, but many believed that even this was a disguise as no one recognized him—the most common theory being that he regularly polyjuiced himself to look like an unidentifiable muggle. It sounded far-fetched, but if true, it still wouldn’t be the strangest thing going on in the Department of Mysteries.</p><p>Unspeakable Croaker hesitated upon arriving at the usual meeting room. As important as he knew these investigations were, the intel meetings often left him feeling paranoid and sick to his stomach.</p><p>“Hello, Unspeakable Prince, Madame Bones,” he said once he found the resolve to enter the meeting room once more.</p><p>“Unspeakable Croaker,” Madame Bones greeted while Unspeakable Prince merely gave a nod.</p><p>Sitting down across the table from the other two, Unspeakable Croaker inquired: “I take it there’s a reason for this impromptu meeting?”</p><p>“Indeed there is,” Madame Bones replied. “I’ve managed to track down M.C. Gaunt and discern his role in the prophecy.”</p><p>Unspeakable Croaker blinked, surprised. He’d expected M.C. Gaunt’s role to be the most difficult to identify. While the other three names on the prophecy were recognizable, no one involved in the investigation had ever heard of someone called M.C. Gaunt before. His loyalties, leanings, and abilities were wholly unknown.</p><p>“Please continue, Madame,” Unspeakable Croaker urged her.</p><p>“We know now that his full name is Lord Marvolo Corvinus Gaunt,” Madame Bones informed them. “On paper, he appears to be the son of Tom Marvolo Riddle—better known as Lord Voldemort. Needless to say, he’s the prophecy’s Dark Lord.”</p><p>“On paper?” Unspeakable Croaker repeated, deciding to focus on what was hopefully the least alarming part of Bones’ statement. Perhaps he’d been wrong about F.A. Longbottom being the most shocking name listed after all… </p><p>“There’s evidence to support him being Riddle himself under a new identity,” Madame Bones said plainly.</p><p>Unspeakable Croaker was at a loss for words. The recent investigations into the Potter will’s claims may have indeed found Voldemort innocent of their deaths, but those same investigations had found evidence that he’d died along with the Potters that night. Blood found at the still preserved scene at Godric’s Hollow provided overwhelming evidence that Voldemort had engaged in a number of protective blood rituals that night, including that of the self-sacrificial rite of <i>Caro Sacrificium</i>. It shouldn’t be possible for the man to be alive.</p><p>“My contacts have suggested that idea as well,” Unspeakable Prince admitted. “It may possible be that he’d had a near-death experience on Halloween of 1981 and has spent the past decade recovering.”</p><p>“But why the new name?” Unspeakable Croaked asked once he finally found his voice. “He’s been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Potters’ deaths. There’s no need for him to hide now.”</p><p>“Protection?” Madame Bones suggested. “After all, his would-be killer is still at large.”</p><p>“Speaking of would-be killers, I’ve found some… enlightening evidence at Hogwarts over the past few weeks,” Unspeakable Prince announced.</p><p>Madame Bones arched a curious eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, Please enlighten us, Unspeakable Prince.”</p><p>“So far, I’ve found two more potential victims of overexposure to Obliviation, though they’re in much better shape than the two at St. Mungo’s,” he explained. “There are also moments where both seem to be speaking as if under a compulsion, though I’ve yet to identify the trigger words.”</p><p>Unspeakable Croaker grimaced. Mind magic wasn’t his area of expertise, but he was well aware of just how dangerous repeated memory charms and compulsions were for the human mind. Eventually, the victim would lose all sense of sense of self and become little more than a mindless puppet—or, in rare cases, retreat so far into their own minds that they appeared as nothing more than an empty husk of a human being.</p><p>“The victims’ names?” Madame Bones asked.</p><p>Unspeakable Prince hesitated for a moment before admitting, “Poppy Pomfrey and Minerva McGonagall.”</p><p>The silence that fell over the room was stifling. To inflict memory charms and compulsions on a Head of House was insidious enough, but to do the same to a medi-witch? What had she discovered that needed to be kept hidden?</p><p>Madame Bones must have been thinking along the same lines because, after taking a steadying breath, she stated: “This reeks of a coverup. We need to get our hands on student medical records so we can get to the bottom of this.”</p><p>“Understood,” Unspeakable Prince said with a terse nod. “I’ll see what I can do about getting copies of the records—using the utmost discretion of course.”</p><p>“See that you do.”</p><p>“And do be careful,” Unspeakable Croaker added.</p><p>Unspeakable Prince’s appearance shifted—growing taller and thinner, while his nose became much larger and his eyes took on the color of onyx—until the man was the perfect image of Severus Snape. “I appreciate the sentiment, but there’s no need for concern,” he assured them in the rich, baritone voice of young Potions Master Snape. “No suspects a thing.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>now you know what i'm not apologizing for</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Zabini and Zombies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>cultures are shared. holidays are celebrated. lockhart repeatedly makes a fool of himself.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i don't own these characters<br/>2. all mentions of voodoo and vodun come from my very american perspective. i have no idea if anyone in britain actually gives a shit about voodoo, but let's pretend for a moment that they do.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>September faded into October, and the last shreds of Professor Lockhart’s credibility faded with it. Hardly anyone took the man seriously anymore. Even those who had spent September enamored by his good looks were finally beginning to realize that the man was an idiot who couldn’t have possibly done all the things he claimed to do in his books.</p><p>Justin Finch-Fletchley—who was still collecting an impressive number of muggle-born signatures for his official complaint to the Board of Governors about Professor Binns’ inability to teach—had already begun making plans to file a complaint against Lockhart as well. He and the other Hufflepuffs were working to gather evidence of his incompetence. They occasionally asked for help from the other houses, but, due to their preference to keep this complaint a secret for fear of retaliation, it was mostly kept to the Hufflepuff common room.</p><p>A week into October, someone made the first strike against Lockhart. He’d received a box of chocolates one morning from an anonymous admirer, and after bragging loudly about the gift, ate several with his breakfast. The more he ate, the darker his teeth became, until they were entirely black. Defense classes were cancelled for three days while he tried to get his teeth back to normal.</p><p>While the black teeth incident was officially a mystery, everyone knew it was the Weasley twins who had done it. Headmaster Dumbledore tried to get them punished for it, but without any evidence to prove their guilt, they’d managed to avoid facing consequences for their actions.</p><p>What had surprised Hydrus was his sister’s involvement. Hermione had managed to keep it a secret from even him until the day the chocolates arrived. He’d initially been disappointed that he hadn’t been included, but he understood his twin’s reasoning for wanting to keep the knowledge of her involvement to a minimum. Lockhart already didn’t like her, and her dislike of him was equally well known amongst the students in their year. She’d have been the number one suspect if anyone caught wind of her knowing anything about the prank.</p><p>But plotting against Lockhart wasn’t the only thing causing a stir at Hogwarts. Inspired by the positive reactions to learning about Chanukah the previous year, Anthony Goldstein and the other Jewish students were far more open about their high holy days that took place in the fall. The Ravenclaws ate their apples and honey with Anthony on the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah, and those who wished to observe Yom Kippur were given a permission slip from their Heads of House to be absent from class. There was a bit of grumbling and accusations of favoritism, but Professor Flitwick set everyone straight by reminding them that it was only fair to give the Jewish students the day off for Yom Kippur when the Christian and Pagan students were off for Christmas/Yule and Easter/Ostarta.</p><p>This inspired some of the other students who followed different belief systems to become a bit more open about their practices. There were even talks of letting some of the students break off into small supervised groups on Halloween to share their cultures and traditions with others who either shared said culture or wished to learn. Not everyone was supportive of the idea, but for some, just admitting to having different practices without being ridiculed was an incredible amount of progress.</p><p>Unfortunately, even with all the excitement of culture sharing and the upcoming holiday, Hydrus and his friends still had to attend class. As much as he wanted to learn, having two incompetent teachers on staff made it nearly impossible to get through each week. Professor Binns was still droning on about goblin wars, while Professor Lockhart’s classes were becoming less informational and more self-obsessed—something Hydrus hadn’t thought possible.</p><p>“Now class, today we’ll be starting one of my most exciting books,” Professor Lockhart announced halfway through October, wearing an over-the-top grin. He had gone back to beaming at everyone once his teeth had returned to their original color. “<i>In Zambia with Zombies</i>. It’s a thrilling tale of the mindlessly undead and the dangers they pose to the heart of Africa.”</p><p>Someone’s quill snapped in half, drawing Hydrus’ attention from their Defense professor’s inane ranting. He looked around to see who’d snapped their quill, hoping they had a spare, only to see black ink dripping from the shards of a lovely eagle feather quill grasped too tightly in Blaise Zabini’s fist. Hydrus thought that was a bit odd, as Blaise wasn’t usually so destructive, but he supposed even someone as easygoing and aloof as Blaise was bound to have a bad day every once in a while.</p><p>“Before we start, can anyone tell me what a zombie is?” Professor Lockhart inquired. He glanced around at the raised hands. “How about you, Ms. Brown?”</p><p>Lavender blushed from the attention, but answered: “A zombie is a corpse that has been reanimated by magic. They’re similar to the inferi, though they move at a much slower pace.”</p><p>Very good, Ms. Brown. Five points to Gryffindor.”</p><p>Lavender’s blush deepened, and Parvati whispered something into her ear that made it even worse.</p><p>“Any questions before we begin today’s reenactment of my battle against the zombies of Zambia?” Professor Lockhart asked.</p><p>Blaise’s hand shot into the air.</p><p>“Yes, Mr. Zabini?”</p><p>“Sir, I was just wondering how you managed to encounter zombies in Zambia when there aren’t any there,” Blaise said coolly, though Hydrus could sense the underlying agitation. “Zombies are traditionally only found in West African countries like Benin, Togo, and Ghana.”</p><p>Professor Lockhart turned red. It was clear he hadn’t expected to be challenged. “Mr. Zabini, I don’t know where you got your information, but I can assure you that there are indeed zombies in Zambia.”</p><p>“With all due respect, Sir, that just doesn’t make any sense. Vodun, the branch of magic used to create zombies, is practiced almost exclusively in West Africa and nations with large African Diaspora populations.” For as calm as Blaise’s explanation was, the fire in his eyes was terrifying. “Zambia is nowhere near West Africa, and their syncretized magics are completely different from Vodun.”</p><p>“Are you suggesting that you, a twelve year old boy with no real world experience, know more than I do on this subject?” Professor Lockhart accused.</p><p>“He clearly does,” Draco muttered low enough so that only Hydrus heard him.</p><p>“Not at all, Sir,” Blaise replied, his voice growing icier by the moment. “I’m merely concerned about the inaccuracies in your book, especially since we’re supposed to be learning how to defend ourselves. I just wouldn’t want you to mislead the class about the true nature of zombies and where they might be found, Sir.”</p><p>Professor Lockhart looked as if he was about to start spitting fire. “Five points from Slytherin for your backtalk, Mr. Zabini!”</p><p>Blaise opened his mouth to argue, but quickly closed it when Tracey Davis put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.</p><p>Professor Lockhart returned to his “lesson” plan soon after, but the damage was done. Almost no one paid attention. Even Lavender and Parvati, who usually hung on every word the Defense professor said, hardly seemed to care for the nonsense he was spewing for the day. They could all tell that Blaise had been right, and that Professor Lockhart was lying to their faces.</p><p>Hydrus spent the remainder of the class watching Blaise. It was clear that this wasn’t just something he happened to be knowledgeable about. His reaction was far too personal and unrestrained for it to be a simple issue of knowing he was in the right. This was a topic that truly mattered to him.</p><p>Class ended without any other outbursts, but it was obvious from the look on Blaise’s face that the matter was far from settled. “I can’t believe everyone just lets that idiot get away with this,” he seethed as they were out of earshot of the Defense classroom. “It’s one thing to ignore the inaccuracies in his books for the sake of a fun read, but to act as though those poorly written, self-obsessed rags of literary garbage give him an excuse to claim superior knowledge of <i>anything</i> is outrageous!”</p><p>“Why don’t you file a complaint with the Board of Governors?” Draco suggested. “After all, you’ve clearly done your research and can prove he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I can even have Father back you if you’d like.”</p><p>Blaise thought for a moment before deciding: “I might just take you up on that. Granted, I want more than just to see him fired. I want his reputation completely and utterly burned to the ground.”</p><p>“It’s too bad we can’t just dose him with Veriatserum or something during a meal in the Great Hall,” Hydrus said with a sigh. If they could just force him to admit he’s a fraud in front of the whole school, he’d be fired on the spot. Unfortunately, dosing someone with Veritaserum without either their consent or a vote by the Wizengamot during an active trial was illegal.</p><p>“Hey, Zabini?”</p><p>Hydrus was startled out of his wishful thinking by a familiar voice. He and his friends turned around to see Dean Thomas from Gryffindor jogging down the hall to catch up with them.</p><p>“Yeah, Thomas?” Blaise replied as he eyed up the boy.</p><p>“That stuff you were saying about Vodun,” Dean began a bit nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve heard Lee Jordan mention it a few times. I could introduce you to him if you wanted? I’m sure he’d love talking about it with you.”</p><p>Blaise considered the Gryffindor’s offer before deciding: “Yeah, I’d like that. You’d be joining us, right?”</p><p>Dean shrugged. “I hadn’t planned on it. It’s not like I know much about it.”</p><p>“All the more reason to join then. It’s your heritage just as much as it’s mine and Jordan’s.”</p><p>“Heritage?” Dean repeated, his voice laced with uncertainty. “I don’t know about that. I mean, I’m a muggle-born, so I don’t really have any magical heritage.”</p><p>Blaise’s expression shifted back and forth between shock and outrage. “Vodun, which you probably know better as Voodoo, isn’t just magical heritage!” he exclaimed. “It’s African diaspora heritage, passed along in secret for hundreds of years—from the dawn of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and on through the fight for civil rights. As a black wizard, Voodoo your birthright regardless of blood status!”</p><p>Dean’s eyebrows shot up so high that they would have disappeared into his hairline had he not been sporting a buzzed head. “Voodoo’s real?” he asked excitedly once he recovered from his shock. “Why didn’t anyone say anything sooner?”</p><p>“Because every single Voodoo practice was declared Dark and outlawed by the British Ministry of Magic in 1622 after too many slaves used it to kill their masters,” Blaise spit. “Even the Light spells and rituals were banned. And no one in the nearly four hundred years since then has <i>ever</i> managed to reverse the ruling.”</p><p>The realization of why Blaise had been so angry during class hit Hydrus like punch to the gut. It was so much more than a matter of being right and wanting to prove Lockhart a fraud. This was a part of heritage that had been denied to him, and now some idiot was lying about what it truly entails to all the students at Hogwarts. It was a cruel taunt piled onto centuries of erasure and hiding in the shadows.</p><p>“How do you know so much?” Dean asked. “If it’s illegal, I mean.”</p><p>“Knowing about it is perfectly legal. But as for how I know what I do…” Blaise glanced around, checking to make sure it was just the four of them in the corridor. “Well, one of my mother’s ex-husbands was an American who had a mastery in Louisiana Voodoo. It’s all perfectly legal over there, has been for years. He taught me quite a bit about it.”</p><p>Dean’s eyes went wide with excitement. “Tell me everything you know!”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>By the time Halloween arrived, several different events had been organized for students who didn’t celebrate the holiday. Students were able to opt out of the feast as long as they told their Head of House where they were going. After the previous year’s troll incident, all the professors wanted to take extra precautions and ensure all students were accounted for.<p>Only Headmaster Dumbledore and Filch were against letting students make alternate plans, but there was nothing they could do to stop it since no one would be breaking any rules. Filch had grumbled about it, but he relented after being promised that the students would be supervised too closely to cause mayhem. Dumbledore, on the other hand, wouldn’t stop trying to dissuade professors from hosting alternate events. He insisted that the Halloween Feast was a tradition that promoted inter-house unity, and that not having everyone in attendance might cause friction between the houses. Seeing as all the students were required to sit at their house table for the feast, no one bought that excuse.</p><p>Once classes were done on for the day on Halloween, Hydrus, Draco, and Theo walked Blaise to Professor Vector’s classroom. One of only two black professors at Hogwarts, Professor Vector had been thrilled when Lee Jordan had approached her about the possibility of having a small get-together for black students who were curious about Voodoo. He had heard her drop hints about being a practitioner during some of her Arithmancy lectures, and knew he could trust her not to report them for their interest in “Dark” magic. He’d hoped she’d agree to let him use her classroom for the event. Instead, she went above and beyond his hoped by organizing an informal dinner and Voodoo crash course that she’d given the innocuous name of African Diaspora History.</p><p>To their surprise, Cassius Warrington and Angelina Johnson were already waiting outside Professor Vector’s classroom by the time they arrived. Cassius was a fifth year Slytherin who was known for being a bit of a strong, quiet type. No one knew much about him outside of his love of quidditch and natural talent for defensive magic, so it was a bit of a shock to see him skipping out on the Halloween feast to learn.</p><p>Angelina, a third year Gryffindor, also loved quidditch and was a chaser for the Gryffindor team. Hydrus didn’t know much about her except that Lee thought she was quite pretty and said as much every time he announced for a Gryffindor quidditch game.</p><p>“Oh great, I’m outnumbered by snakes,” Angelina complained when she spotted them, though her tone was more teasing than annoyed.</p><p>“I do apologize, my dear lady,” Blaise said with an over-exaggerated bow, “that you should suffer such classy company.”</p><p>Angelina looked amused but rolled her eyes. “You keep telling yourself that.”</p><p>After a few minutes of chatting and the arrival of a couple more students, Hydrus, Draco, and Theo gave their goodbyes to Blaise. They were glad to see their typically calm, quiet friend so excited about something, and were sure he’d have an incredible evening.</p><p>Voodoo with Professor Vector wasn’t the only special event happening this Halloween evening, though. Several of the Slytherin seventh year students had asked Professor Snape if he would do the honors of hosting the first official Samhain celebration at Hogwarts in nearly fifty years. He’d refused at first—claiming something about not wanting to waste his valuable free time around dunderheads—but he finally gave into their demands once he realized it meant skipping all the chaos of the Halloween Feast.</p><p>Hydrus, Hermione, and their closest friends were all attending Professor Snape’s Samhain celebration in the dungeons. They had invited Dade to join them as well, but he and his friends had heard so much about how incredible the food at the Halloween Feast was each year and wanted to go that route instead. As much as he would have liked to spend time with his cousin, Hydrus couldn’t blame Dade for wanting to go to the feast. The food truly was incredible.</p><p>At six o’clock on the dot, Professor Snape opened the doors to his classroom. The room had been stripped of all dangerous potion-making equipment and toxic ingredients, and the desks had all been pushed into the back of the room. Cushions and blankets had been placed on the floor in a circle for the students to sit on, giving the whole event a far more relaxed atmosphere than anything else that had ever occurred in this classroom.</p><p>Hydrus and his sister sat down near Professor Snape’s desk, and were quickly joined by Draco, Theo, Pansy, Padma and Ron. All three of their Slytherin friends had taken part in Samhain celebrations before and were quite excited to do so since they missed out last year. Padma had read all about Samhain but had never celebrated before because her family preferred to observe Hindu holidays. Ron, on the other hand, knew very little about the traditional British wizarding holidays due to his family being modernists who preferred to celebrate muggle holidays.</p><p>Despite the group’s varying levels of knowledge about Samhain, they were all equally excited to be a part of the celebration. Even Professor Snape seemed to be in a good mood, though Hydrus wasn’t entirely sure if that was a good thing. The only times he ever saw the Potions master happy was when he was about to get revenge or act in a vindictive manner. Then again, refusing to attend Dumbledore’s Halloween Feast likely counted as some form of petty revenge after years of being forced to go along with every little thing the old coot demanded of him.</p><p>Professor Snape looked down at a piece of parchment in his hand and then back up at the students. “Well, it looks like everyone has arrived,” he said, “so we might as well get started.”</p><p>Hydrus glanced around the room, impressed by the turnout. There were only about forty students in attendance, but all four houses were well represented. Slytherin and Ravenclaw made up the majority, but there were more Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs than he’d expected to see.</p><p>“Samhain is the traditional Celtic holiday celebrating the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year,” Professor Snape explained in the same low, hypnotic voice he used during lectures. “Because the holiday has Dark associations, there have been a number of attempts to ban its celebration and fully replace it with the muggle holiday of Halloween. However, celebrating Samhain is perfectly legal—if a bit controversial in some circles.”</p><p>A first year Hufflepuff girl with long brown hair raised her hand.</p><p>“Yes, Ms. Pritchett?”</p><p>“Professor, are Light wizards able to celebrate Samhain even though it’s a Dark holiday?”</p><p>Professor Snape stared at Pritchett in complete silence for a moment, as if utterly shocked that such a question would need to be asked. “Yes, of course,” he assured her once he recovered. “Holidays aren’t exclusive to any particular affinity. Light wizards are just as welcome to celebrate Samhain as Dark wizards are to celebrate Beltane.” </p><p>Pritchett looked quite relieved to hear that, and Hydrus supposed that meant she was a Light witch who was worried that she wasn’t supposed to be here.</p><p>Ron raised his hand.</p><p>“Yes, Mr. Weasley?” Professor Snape asked.</p><p>“Why is Samhain seen as Dark? I mean, Halloween is based on it, but no one views Halloween as Dark.”</p><p>“That is an excellent question, Mr. Weasley,” Professor Snape replied approvingly, which seemed to surprise Ron. “The reason Samhain is viewed as a Dark holiday is due to its honoring of the dead. Both Samhain and Beltane are liminal times where the veil between the mortal world and the beyond is at its thinnest. Ancestor worship, attempts at spirit communication, and shrines for the dead are all common practices during Samhain.”</p><p>Ron considered Professor Snape’s explanation, though it was clear by the expression on his face that he still didn’t understand why any of that made the holiday Dark.</p><p>“But, Professor, don’t they do the same thing for Day of the Dead in Mexico?” asked an older Ravenclaw boy. “Day of the Dead is classified as Gray, so why is Samhain classified as Dark?”</p><p>A ghost of a frown made its way onto Professor Snape’s face. “Unfortunately, Mr. Davies, the only answer I can give is that our laws classifying things are Dark vs. Light are among the most restrictive in the entire western world.”</p><p>Nearly the entire room grumbled about how stupid that was. Even the students who were known to have Light affinities seemed to be bothered by what the professor had said.</p><p>“I am fully aware of how inadequate an explanation that it,” Professor Snape told them, the sound of his voice silencing the rest of the room. “The reasoning behind our restrictive laws is by no means something I’m knowledgeable in, save for the flimsy justifications behind the potions that have been banned in my lifetime.”</p><p>This, of course, led to another round of questions—though they were now focused on which potions the professor seen banned and why. Eventually, Professor Snape had to put an end to the questions because things were getting off topic. There was only so much time to do everything he’d planned for them.</p><p>He resumed his lecture on the history and practices of Samhain, though, by his own admission, there was an impressive chunk of information he’d had to gloss over due to time constraints. It was still fascinating, even though it came out a bit rushed. By the end of it, Hydrus found himself wishing Hogwarts had a class on rituals and holidays. </p><p>After Professor Snape recommended a few books for those who wanted a more in depth understanding, the celebration finally began. They hadn’t gotten permission to light a proper bonfire out on the grounds like the Potions master had wanted, so he instead transfigured a makeshift firepit in the middle of the room. It didn’t have quite the same effect, but Hydrus still thought it was brilliant.</p><p>“Now, the purpose of the fire is twofold,” Professor Snape explained as he moved closer to the flames. “It serves as both a form of imitative sun magic to protect us from the decay winter, and as a means of destroying the harmful influences of which we wish to rid ourselves.”</p><p>The moment the smoke reached him, Hydrus could feel exactly what the professor meant about destroying harmful influences. He closed his eyes and focused on the sensation of his magic building under his skin. It was warm and protective and all-consuming. The smoke reached out to it, purified it, banishing the last remnants of all the spells and manipulations that had been put on him in the past. Never before had he felt so utterly free.</p><p>Beside him, Ron uttered a heartfelt “Whoa!” as he underwent the same purification process.</p><p>The evening progressed with a parade of strong, horrible, and beautiful contradictory emotions. Laughter mixed with tears and despair and joy as the ghosts of each student’s old self was shed like snake skin. Longing and nostalgia and peace bubbled up in every heart as their ancestors were honored. Who would want to ban something like this? How could anyone think it dangerous? It might be Dark, but it was no less beautiful.</p><p>It wasn’t until Professor Snape put out the fire that Hydrus realized how long they’d been there. What felt like only a few minutes had spanned several hours. Slowly, the students made their way out the classroom. Most were in a dazed, semi-cognizant state like Hydrus. The few that still had their wits about them graciously thanked the Potions master and offered to help with the cleanup.</p><p>“That was actually wicked cool,” Ron said as he, Hydrus, Pansy, Padma, and Draco walked Hermione back to Ravenclaw Tower. They had joked that they needed to escort her in case she was cornered by another troll, but, truth be told, they just wanted to spend more time together. “I get my parents being modernists and being into muggle holidays and all that, but Halloween can’t compare to how intense Samhain was. I wonder why they don’t do both.”</p><p>Hydrus agreed. He’d never felt anything like that while celebrating Halloween. He felt so much lighter, like past burdens he could barely remember had been lifted off his shoulders. </p><p>“Maybe it’s because your father is obsessed with all things muggle,” Draco guessed with a shrug. “I’d bet he finds muggle holidays just as fascinating as you find the wizarding ones.”</p><p>“You know, you just might be onto something there.”</p><p>“Of course I am,” Draco said imperiously. “When have I ever been wrong?”</p><p>“Every single time you try to pronounce electricity,” Hermione quipped.</p><p>Pansy snorted. “The time you spent an entire week convinced that Antipodean Opaleye was the name of a gemstone rather than a dragon.”</p><p>“What about—”</p><p>Hydrus was cut off when he walked directly into Draco’s back. He thought his cousin had done it on purpose for a moment until he noticed that everyone else leading the group had stopped in their tracks.</p><p>“I’m not the only one who sees a message in blood on the wall, right?” Padma asked hesitantly.</p><p>Draco shook his head. “No, definitely not.”</p><p>Hydrus peered over Draco’s shoulder to see that a message was indeed painted onto the wall in <i>something</i> the color of dark red:</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <i>THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN</i>
  </p>
</div><div class="center">
  <p>
    <i>OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE.</i>
  </p>
</div>“The Chamber of Secrets?” Ron wondered. “What’s that supposed to be?”<p>Hermione shook her head. “No idea. To be honest, I’m more concerned about whatever that is hanging from the torch bracket.”</p><p>“I think…” Hydrus grimaced, so disgusted and horrified by the revelation that he choked on the words. “I think that’s Filch’s cat.”</p><p>“Let’s get out of here and find a teacher,” Draco decided. He’d gone a bit green, and his eyes were glued to the words painted on the wall.</p><p>But it was too late. Someone must have already alerted the staff because a group of professors, led by Filch and Headmaster Dumbledore, was rapidly approaching.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Written Warning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>who is the heir of slytherin? what is the chamber of secrets? everyone's guess is better than lockhart's.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i still don't own harry potter<br/>2. stuff in italics is straight from the books</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What’s all this mess?” Filch demanded to know as he approached the students, followed by Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Dumbledore, and, unfortunately, Lockhart.</p><p>Filch looked as though he was barely a moment away from starting one of his rants about how he should be permitted to torture misbehaving students. <i>Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.</i></p><p>
  <i>“My cat! My cat! What’s happened to Mrs. Norris?” he shrieked.</i>
</p><p>He glared at every single one of Hydrus’ friends before singling him out.</p><p>
  <i>”<b>You!</b>” he screeched. “<b>You!</b> You’ve murdered my cat! You killed her! I’ll kill you! I’ll—”</i>
</p><p>Professor McGonagall grabbed Filch by the arm before he could lunge at Hydrus. “That’s enough, Argus!” she scolded him.</p><p>“But… but…” Filch sputtered as he tried to free himself from Professor McGonagall’s iron-tight grip.</p><p>“Perhaps we should assess the situation before making snap judgements,” Headmaster Dumbledore suggested, his glittering blue eyes meeting Hydrus’ gaze.</p><p>Hydrus felt the telltale prickle of legilimency being used to try and get through his mental defenses. But with his natural occlumens ability no longer blocked and having taken lessons from Professor Snape over the summer, Dumbledore would find nothing more than a stone wall.</p><p><i>Shields up,</i> he warned Hermione.</p><p><i>Already on it,</i> came her reply.</p><p>Hermione was by no means a natural occlumens, but her tendency toward tidiness and inclination for mind magics helped her learn to organize and shield her mind with relative ease. It would be a while yet before she mastered the ability, but the summer had ended with her being able to keep Professor Snape from entering her mind for nearly five minutes. Dumbledore’s wandless, wordless attempts to rifle through her thoughts would turn up nothing of import.</p><p>“However,” Dumbledore continued, seeming to have given up on using legilimency to get to the bottom of things, “I do believe a discussion with these six students may helpful in figuring out what happened to Mrs. Norris.”</p><p>“We shouldn’t do this in the middle of the corridor. My office is closest,” Professor Flitwick said.</p><p>Dumbledore smiled. “An excellent idea, Filius. Please, lead the way.”</p><p>Hydrus, his friends, and the professors all followed Professor Flitwick to his office, the stiff body of Mrs. Norris levitating slowly behind them. Were it not for Filch’s obvious rage and the students’ fears of being wrongfully accused once more, their little parade down the corridor might have made for a funny sight.</p><p>Once inside Professor Flitwick’s office, Dumbledore began inspecting Mrs. Norris while Professor Lockhart spouted increasingly ridiculous theories as to what might have happened.</p><p>
  <i>”It was definitely a curse that killed her—probably the Transmogrifian Torture—I’ve seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn’t there. I know the very countercurse that would have saved her…”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Lockhart’s comments were punctuated by Filch’s dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. As much as he detested Filch, Hydrus couldn’t help feeling a bit sorry for him, tough not nearly as sorry as he felt for himself. If Dumbledore believed Filch, he would be expelled for sure.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand, but nothing happened: She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>”...I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou,” said Lockhart, “a series of attacks, the full story’s in my autobiography. I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…”</i>
</p><p>Professor Flitwick arched an incredulous eyebrow as Lockhart continued to speak nonsense. It was clear that the Charms professor didn’t believe a single word that came out of Lockhart’s overly bleached mouth.</p><p>
  <i>At last, Dumbledore straightened up. “She’s not dead, Argus,” he said softly.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>”Not dead?” choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. “But why’s she all… all stiff and frozen?”</i>
</p><p>“She appears to have been petrified,” Dumbledore explained, “though by which means I still cannot discern.”</p><p>“Then why don’t you ask one of them? They’re the reason my cat is petrified!” Filch accused, once more finding himself being physically held back by Professor McGonagall so that he didn’t attack a student.</p><p>
  <i>“No second year could have done this,” said Dumbledore firmly. “It would take Dark magic of the most advanced—”</i>
</p><p>“The Lestranges and Malfoys practically breathe Dark magic!” Filch cut him off. “Of course they could do this as second years.”</p><p>McGonagall and Flitwick looked shocked by Filch’s outburst, but Lockhart nodded in agreement. “The man does have a point. We have no idea what sort thing they’ve been exposed to in their short lives…”</p><p>“We didn’t do anything to Mrs. Norris!” Hermione argued.</p><p>Draco nodded his head in agreement. “It’s not our fault that we were the ones who found her.”</p><p>“And for your information, <i>Professor</i>—” Hermione spat the word as if though it tasted vile “—Hydrus and I were both raised in the muggle world. We don’t know anything about Dark magic!”</p><p>This only served to make Filch angrier. “Don’t lie to me, you little—” </p><p>He tried to lunge at Hermione, but was stopped by Professor Flitwick putting him in a full body bind.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Argus, but you’ll have to remain frozen if you can’t control yourself,” Professor Flitwick said, though he didn’t sound the least bit apologetic. “We get that you’re upset about Mrs. Norris, but this behavior is simply unacceptable.”</p><p>Dumbledore frowned at the Charms professor. “Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh, Filius?” he asked. “He’s clearly sick with grief.”</p><p>“His grief comes second to the safety of the students he keeps trying to accost,” Flitwick replied icily.</p><p>“I really must agree with Filius here,” Professor McGonagall added, crossing her ams as she cast disapproving glances at both Dumbledore and Filch.</p><p>Dumbledore did his best to appear disappointed in them, and looked like he might continue to press the issue, but was thankfully cut off by Professor Snape storming into the room and saying: “Why in Merlin’s name have three of my snakes been detained after curfew, and why did I have to hear about it from a concerned portrait instead of from you, Albus?”</p><p>“My apologies, Severus,” Dumbledore replied with a kind grin that didn’t at all fit the situation. “I’m afraid I was so swept up in trying to get to the bottom of what happened to Mrs. Norris that I didn’t think to reach out to you about your students.”</p><p>Professor Snape narrowed his eyes in disbelief. “I ask you to ensure such a thing doesn’t happen again,” he warned. “All of my other second year students have been quite distressed by their friends’ failure to return ot their dormitories.”</p><p>“Their distress is nothing compared to the horrors these children have inflicted upon Argus’ poor cat,” Professor Lockhart replied in a superior tone. “I shudder to think what might have happened had we not found the culprits when we did.”</p><p>“Indeed?” Professor Snape asked, arching an incredulous eyebrow.</p><p>“Oh, yes!” Lockhart insisted. He seemed to be completely oblivious to how harshly the Potions master was silently judging him. “They petrified Mrs. Norris and hung her up by her tail, leaving nothing but a horrid message about some secret chamber written on the wall!”</p><p>“Now hold on a moment, Gilderoy,” Professor McGonagall chastised him. “We have no proof that these children had anything to do with what happened to Mrs. Norris.”</p><p>“Truly, magic this Dark is far too advanced for a group of young children,” Dumbledore agreed, though he didn’t look particularly happy about that fact.</p><p>Lockhart frowned. “They may be young, but three of them are scions of some of the Darkest of Dark families.”</p><p>“And you think I’d just pal around for a bit of Dark magic and animal cruelty? As a Light wizard and a Weasley?” Ron accused.</p><p>Padma nodded vigorously in agreement. “What about me? I’m not the type to get mixed up in Dark magic either. Everyone knows the Patils are a solidly Gray family.”</p><p>That shut Lockhart up, but not for nearly long enough. “But—” he began, trying to think of some excuse to justify Ron and Padma, and to a lesser extent, Pansy, being there.</p><p>He was abruptly frightened into silence by Professor Snape half growling: “They were with me up until ten o’clock. Do you truly expect me to believe that a ragtag group of second year students managed to find Mrs. Norris, attack her using magic far beyond their capabilities, and paint some nonsense message on the wall in the—” he cast a quick <i>Tempus</i> “—eighteen minutes that have passed since they left my classroom?”</p><p>A fleeting moment of panic flashed over Professor Lockhart’s face as he finally realized that no one was going to agree with him about Hydrus and his friends’ supposed guilt.</p><p>“I daresay that settles it,” Professor Flitwick decided, practically bouncing with delight over Lockhart having been proved wrong. “All six students have an alibi in addition to simply not being capable of doing something like this.”</p><p>Dumbledore smiled. “Very good. Let’s get back to the matter of poor Mrs. Norris’ current condition then.”</p><p>“Yes,” Professor McGonagall agreed, looking relieved to have a change of subject. “You mentioned she was petrified, but this seems far too thorough for a simple <i>Petrificus Totalus</i>. Do you know if it can be reversed?”</p><p>“A dose of Mandrake Restorative Draught should wake her,” Dumbledore said sagely.</p><p>“I can brew it!” Lockhart volunteered a bit too enthusiastically. “I’ve done it countless times before. It should be no problem at all for me to whip it up, and Mrs. Norris will be good as new.”</p><p>Professor Snape shot Lockhart a glare that would’ve terrified anyone with an ounce of intelligence or self preservation, which meant it had no effect on the Defense professor. “Gilderoy, if you even <i>think</i> of setting foot in my potions lab with the hopes of brewing anything at all, you will find yourself missing a few key parts of your anatomy.”</p><p>“Severus, such threats are hardly necessary,” Dumbledore gently chastised, shaking his head.</p><p>“They are when it comes to brewing a potion as complicated as the Mandrake Restorative Draught,” Snape said darkly. “I’ve yet to have a casualty in my lab, and I’m not about to break that trend, even if it <i>is</i> a professor who should know better.”</p><p>A tense silence fell over the room as Snape and Dumbledore entered some sort of odd stalemate. Snape’s eye began to twitch in agitation as the headmaster stared at him with the most stereotypical “I’m not mad, just disappointed” expression Hydrus had ever seen.</p><p>“Well, if that’s all, I’d like to escort my students to their dormitories,” Professor Flitwick decided, breaking the silence before it started to get too weird.</p><p>“I ought to do the same,” Professor Snape agreed. He turned his attention to Hydrus and his friends. “Slytherins and Mr. Weasley, it’s high you four returned to the dungeons for the evening.”</p><p>Not wanting to spend another moment in the same room as adults who had accused them of attacking a cat with Dark magic, Hydrus, Draco, Pansy, and Ron waved a quick goodbye to Hermione and Padma before following Professor Snape out of Professor Flitwick’s office. </p><p>“Must you lot make a habit of finding yourselves at the center of some awful occurrence every Halloween?” Professor Snape half asked and half demanded to know as he escorted them back to their dormitories, going in the opposite direction of where Mrs. Norris had been found.</p><p>“Unfortunately, Professor, I’m starting to think that might be the case,” Draco grumbled. “It’s not like we want to, though.”</p><p>Hydrus and Ron nodded in agreement.</p><p>“I’d like to point out that this is my first awful Halloween event, and I shouldn’t be included in your use of ‘you lot’,” Pansy interjected. She hastily added “Sir” when she saw Professor Snape’s annoyed expression.</p><p>Professor Snape sighed. “I have half a mind to require all of you, as well as Ms. Lestrange, to remain locked up somewhere I can monitor your every move from the end of classes Halloween until the morning of November first from now on.”</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t think of a single argument against that idea. In fact, part of him thought it might be for the best. Halloween mayhem was proving to be an annual event for them, and he had no idea how else to avoid it.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>By the following morning, every single person and portrait at Hogwarts had heard what happened to Mrs. Norris. However, almost none of the stories going around the school were accurate. Some claimed that Mrs. Norris had been brutally murdered, while others insisted she had accidentally been knocked out the chaos of Filch attacking a group of young students. Next to no one seemed to believe that Hydrus and his friends had anything to do with Mrs. Norris’ current state—at least not on purpose—but the few who did expressed their gratitude for that awful cat being out of commission.<p>Even the students who knew Hydrus and Hermione were their Dark Lord’s children and therefore the actual heirs of Slytherin didn’t believe that the twins had done anything to Mrs. Norris. Instead, they were utterly convinced that this was all a ploy to make Slytherins look bad, a theory that quickly spread throughout the rest of Slytherin house. After all, the execution was practically Gryffindor-ish in how over-the-top it was. No self-respecting snake would have been so blatantly obvious with their plans.</p><p>Besides, there was no proof that the Chamber of Secrets even existed. The students of Hogwarts had scoured every single book in their library for every little scrap of information they could find on the Chamber, but none had successfully found anything. As far as anyone was concerned, it was just an old legend.</p><p>Several professors, however, did not agree with this assessment. Dumbledore had begun looking at all Slytherins with intense suspicion; several of the upper years had even complained that they’d felt someone trying to look into their minds whenever they were in the Great Hall. Filch was more singular in his search for the culprit: he believed it could be no one else but Hydrus. Lockhart seemed to suspect every single Slytherin student, some of the Ravenclaws, and even a few students from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff who he knew didn’t like him. Even Professor McGonagall, who tended to be strict but fair, had become icier toward the older Slytherin students.</p><p>Certain Slytherins were admittedly making things much harder for the rest of their housemates. “I hope Slytherin’s heir rids the school of all the mudbloods next,” Mulciber proclaimed loudly in the middle of the Slytherin common room a few days after Mrs. Norris’ attack.</p><p>Hydrus suppressed a groan. He’d just wanted to do his homework in relative peace. That would never happen with Mulciber in the room. The kid never knew when to shut up.</p><p>“Five points from Slytherin for use of a blood slur, Mr. Mulciber,” Percy Weasley scolded him.</p><p>Mulciber grumbled something about blood-traitors, which caused sixth year prefect Gemma Farley to deduct another five points and threaten him with detention.</p><p>“So much for Slytherin loyalty,” Mulciber complained. “This place is going to the dogs.”</p><p>“Only because you’re here,” Draco retorted.</p><p>Hydrus chuckled at his cousin’s remark. While Draco had initially loved the attention Mulciber heaped upon him for simply being a Malfoy at the beginning of the school year, the first year’s blatant prejudice and inability to hold his tongue had gotten old fast. Now, Draco avoided the boy as much as possible, citing that he didn’t want to be associated with the “wrong sort” of wizards. </p><p>Mulciber rolled his eyes. “Oh, like you wouldn’t be just as happy about the heir of Slytherin cleaning house.”</p><p>“I actually wouldn’t,” Draco sneered. “Muggle-borns deserve to be here just as much as anyone else.”</p><p>Before Mulciber could argue the point any further, Theo added: “Besides, the actual heir of Slytherin is <i>friends</i> with at least two muggle-borns. Even if he was behind the attack on Mrs. Norris, which he isn’t, he wouldn’t do anything against muggle-borns.”</p><p>“As if you know what the heir of Slytherin does or doesn’t want,” Mulciber spat.</p><p>“Hydrus, do you want to hurt muggle-borns?” Theo asked.</p><p>Hydrus blinked, startled and just a bit offended by the question. “No, of course not!”</p><p>“There you have it,” Theo told Mulciber. There was a vindictive gleam in his eyes. “The heir of Slytherin has spoken.”</p><p>Hydrus felt like an idiot. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of bringing up his Slytherin heir status sooner. Everyone would have to see that that whoever attacked Mrs. Norris was an imposter if they knew he was the true heir. For as upset as people had been over him no longer being Harry Potter and “going Dark” at the end of last year, the majority had accepted by now that nothing about him had truly changed. Only idiots still had a problem with his true name or doubted the nature of his character.</p><p>“Don’t be an idiot! Lestrange isn’t the heir of Slytherin!” Mulciber shouted. His face had scrunched up as if the very idea disgusted him.</p><p>“He is, and you’d do well to accept that,” warned Cassius Warrington, much to Hydrus’ surprise. He hadn’t realized that the older boy was one of those few who knew that.</p><p>Marcus Flint hummed in agreement. “Surely you’ve seen him speaking to that snake of his.”</p><p>That gave Hydrus an idea. <i>~Want to make a ssspecial appearance?~</i> he asked Iris, who was curled up in his lap, half asleep.</p><p><i>~Doing what?~</i> she asked, only sounding a little bit interested.</p><p>
  <i>~Sscaring Mulciber.~</i>
</p><p>Iris lifted her head at that. <i>~The annoying hatchling?~</i></p><p><i>~That’ss the one,~</i> Hydrus replied with a smirk.</p><p>“What are you playing at?” Mulciber asked indignantly. “Do you honestly think you can trick people into believing you’re the heir of Slytherin just by hissing?”</p><p><i>~Approach him and do that warning hissss Nagini doess,~</i> Hydrus commanded Iris.</p><p>Although snakes couldn’t laugh, Iris’ amusement was evident to Hydrus. He knew she was going to have a lot of fun with this.</p><p>Iris slid off Hydrus’ lap and slithered across the floor in a direct path toward Mulciber. Every student between her and Mulciber moved to clear her way. She was still quite small—only about fifteen inches long—but her solid build made her look far larger than she was. It allowed her to come off as intimidating to those who were already wary of snakes, despite her being nonvenomous and having scales that reflected the rainbow like a prism. </p><p><i>~Now?~</i> she asked Hydrus once she was in striking distance of the still too smug young boy.</p><p>Hydrus inclined his head. <i>~Now.~</i></p><p>Iris lifted the upper portion of her body to mimic an attack stance. Opening her mouth wide, she hissed viciously and made a fake lunge at Mulciber’s leg.</p><p>Several people gasped, and some instinctively jumped back as though Iris had gone after them instead of Mulciber. Even Marcus had gone a bit pale. The only people who hadn’t reacted negatively were all the second years in attendance, Cassius, Percy, and Gemma. </p><p>Mulciber had gone stock still. His eyes were wide with fright, and his posture far too tense. He didn’t dare move, barely even breathed, as Iris kept her gaze trained on him.</p><p>“Alright, Hydrus. You’ve made your point,” Gemma said with a chuckle. Much like Pansy, the bubbly prefect had instantly fallen for Iris’ charm and constantly complimented the conceited little snake. It was impossible for her to see her “sweet little rainbow” as anything other than adorable.</p><p>Hydrus called Iris back to him, and she made herself at home on his shoulders. She was a bit disappointed that her fun had ended so quickly, but he promised to let her spend time with Pansy later to make up for it.</p><p>“I hope you’ve learned your lesson about doubting me,” Hydrus told Mulciber, noting that the boy still looked shaken. At the boy’s hesitant nod, Hydrus addressed the rest of the room. “My father is Lord Slytherin. My sister Hermione, my cousin Daedalus, and I are all parselmouths. None of us have opened the Chamber of Secrets, nor do we have any problems with muggle-borns. The attack on Mrs. Norris was carried out by an imposter who wishes to slander the good name of Slytherin. Do I make myself clear?”</p><p>Nods and affirmative murmurs made their way around the common room.</p><p>“Good,” Hydrus said with finality, “because I’d hate to go through another display like this one.”</p><p>That wasn’t exactly a lie, but Hydrus’ reasons for not wanting a repeat were markedly different from whatever everyone else in the room was assuming. Acting like this didn’t come naturally to him, and, in fact, was rather difficult for him to do. He was too used to having to run and hide or else be beaten into submission. Commanding a power play like this one was nerve-wracking. He didn’t know if he could pull it off a second time.</p><p>“By the way, Mulciber,” Hydrus drawled, stroking Iris’ head, “I heard you’ve been causing problems for my dear cousin Daedalus Gaunt and his friends. You’d best put that to an end, and quickly, or I might have to intervene.”</p><p>Satisfied with Mulciber’s shaky nod, Hydrus packed up his homework and returned to the dormitories. He wouldn’t be able to get any of his homework done with everyone gawking at him.</p><p>Theo and Draco followed suit, though Hydrus didn’t know if it was for solidarity’s sake or because they had come to the same conclusions about not being left alone if they remained in the common room.</p><p>“That was brilliant, Hydrus!” Draco exclaimed the moment the door to their room shut behind them. “And you were brilliant as well, Theo, for thinking to bring up Hydrus being the heir of Slytherin in the first place.”</p><p>Hydrus just nodded and began unpacking his homework. He and Hermione were competing for the top spot in Transfiguration this term, and he desperately wanted to beat her to it. While he was quite proud of his sister’s intelligence, he enjoyed trying to give her a run for her money. It was refreshing after all those years of having to dumb down his schoolwork in order to avoid punishment from the Dursleys.</p><p>“I’m just surprised no one else thought to bring it up first,” Theo admitted with a shy smile. “Using Iris to further prove the point was genius on Hydrus’ part though.”</p><p>Hydrus felt his cheeks heat up, unused to praise. “Thanks,” he mumbled.</p><p>“Here’s to hoping it finally drove the message through Mulciber’s thick skull that Slytherin isn’t synonymous with pureblood mania,” Draco said, leaving off the implied “anymore”.</p><p>Theo wore an expression of mild exasperation, as if he was already anticipating Mulciber’s next blood purity rant. “You’d think with a Death Eater father, he’d have caught onto the shift in the Dark’s mindset by now. It’s honestly getting embarrassing.”</p><p>“It really is,” Hydrus agreed. He hadn’t known Mulciber’s father was a Death Eater, but that only made it worse that the kid had such a deeply ingrained blood purist mentality. His father should have taught him better than that.</p><p>Hydrus had learned quite a lot about the history of pureblood ideology over the summer. Up until the eighteenth century, pureblood referred to any witch or wizard with two magical parents. Both parents didn’t even have to be wizards. Offspring of a humanoid magical creature and a wizard were also viewed as purebloods. The term had, up until recent history, been used as a way of differentiating those with an entirely magical upbringing from those with a mixed or completely muggle upbringing.</p><p>Slowly, the definition had shifted to exclude the children of creatures, and then to require four magical grandparents. Even then, a first generation pureblood was seen as lesser than a pureblood of several generations. It had to do with some unholy combination of inheritance laws, an increasingly muggle mindset toward creatures and their belonging in wizarding society, and pushback against several botched attempts to repeal the Statute of Secrecy.</p><p>Death Eaters had been working to reverse the new, restrictive definitions in addition to tightening the Statute of Secrecy, promote muggle-born assimilation, and legalize Dark Arts and the Old Ways. It was something that even Hydrus—who had spent months believing all Death Eaters were evil bigots who wanted to kill him—could get behind. The fact that Mulciber had grown up in the wizarding world with a Death Eater father and still clung to regressive ideologies was shameful.</p><p>“You know, all of that in the common room made me realize something,” Draco admitted in a conspiratorially low voice.</p><p>Hydrus cocked his head to the side. “What’s that?”</p><p>“Your father might know the location of the Chamber of Secrets.”</p><p>“We don’t even know if the Chamber of Secrets is real,” Hydrus countered. “According to <i>Hogwarts: A History</i>, the Chamber is nothing more than a legend.”</p><p><i>Besides</i>, Hydrus thought, <i>even if the Chamber did exist, it wasn’t as if it had any bearing on the imposter heir pretending to have opened it.</i></p><p>“Still, it couldn’t hurt to ask,” Theo said, trying to sound casual despite his expression betraying the intensity of his curiosity.</p><p>Hydrus shook his head but relented. “Fine. I’ll write to him and ask.”</p><p>“Yes!” Draco and Theo exclaimed in union.</p><p>With an exaggerating sigh, Hydrus pushed his homework to the side and pulled out a blank piece of parchment. He had a letter to write.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Board of Governors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>lucius helps justin finch-fletchley with his petition to fire binns. dumbledore deals with the aftermath.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i don't own these characters</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To say that Lucius Malfoy was surprised to receive a letter from his son urging him to get in contact with a muggle-born boy by the name of Justin Finch-Fletchley was an understatement. Draco rarely ever had an agenda in his letters to home, and when he did, they tended to be trivial things regarding other members of their family—matters like Christmas present ideas and questions he and his cousins didn’t know the answers to. For perhaps the first time, his son was plotting something. Lucius was shocked, but also terribly proud.</p>
<p>He sent the Finch-Fletchley boy a missive as per Draco’s request. Due to the lack of context in his son’s letter, Lucius expected the young muggle-born to have questions about the magical world and wanted a pureblood’s answer. The reply he received instead was an expertly worded proposal to have that dreadful ghost Cuthbert Binns removed from his post as History professor on the grounds that the highly limited scope of his class left muggle-born students at a disadvantage. It came with a petition that had the signatures of seventy-eight muggle-born and muggle-raised students, as well as letters from three of the students who signed that outlined the problems they had as a result of not having a proper history class. One of the letters—penned by a sixth year muggle-born girl named Penelope Clearwater—even brought up that the class failed to properly prepare students for their History of Magic O.W.L. examinations.</p>
<p>But the ineffectiveness of Professor Binns wasn’t the only matter Justin brought to Lucius’ attention. According to the boy, muggle-borns weren’t even told about the Board of Governors or how to file a complaint. The only reason he knew about it now was because a pureblood in his year happened to suggest he reach out to the Board regarding his concerns about Binns. Said pureblood had also recommended adding that knowledge to the introductory pamphlets muggle-borns received, citing that this lack of information could prove dangerous for muggle-borns who aren’t aware of their avenues for reporting potentially serious problems at the school.</p>
<p>Lucius was impressed with Justin Finch-Fletchley. At only twelve years old, he already had great political instincts. There was no doubt in Lucius’ mind that, with the proper guidance, the boy would go on to do great things.</p>
<p>The two exchanged several more letters throughout late September and October. Justin brought problems in Hogwarts to Lucius’ attention, while Lucius advised Justin on wizarding history, etiquette, and the names and titles of every member of the Board. By the time of the November seventh Board of Governors meeting, both were armed with an arsenal of critical information that would no doubt aid in getting rid of Binns once and for all.</p>
<p>“Remember that you have both evidence and popular opinion on your side,” Lucius told a slightly too pale Justin Finch-Fletchley as they prepared to face the Board.</p>
<p>Justin inhaled sharply. “You’re absolutely right, Lord Malfoy,” he replied, although he didn’t sound particularly convinced. “Everything is going to go perfectly well.”</p>
<p>Realizing that this was as close to confidence as Lucius was going to get out of the boy, he opened the opened the doors to the boardroom and gestured for him to enter, quickly following behind in case the other Board members decided to start asking nosy questions right away.</p>
<p>“Good afternoon, Lucius,” Lady Regent Longbottom greeted them. “Early as always, I see.”</p>
<p>“Good afternoon to you as well, Augusta. It’s good to see you again,” Lucius replied, entirely genuine.</p>
<p>Despite their differences in affinities and political views, Lucius could recognize power when he saw it, and Augusta Longbottom had immense power. She made for both an incredible ally and a formidable enemy, and he was pleased to say he could consider her as the former more often than the latter.</p>
<p>Even though it was only her second year on the Board of Governors, Augusta had become the defacto leader of the group due to her intimidating aura and demanding personality. She cared deeply for the students’ welfare, and was a force to be reckoned with whenever she felt that welfare was in any way threatened. Everyone had informally come to the decision that any and all problems at Hogwarts could be solved by simply letting Augusta into Dumbledore’s office to yell at him. So far, it had been quite an effective strategy.</p>
<p>“I’d say the same to you, but you look far too happy for my comfort. I can only imagine there’s something dreadful on the agenda today if it’s got you smiling,” came Augusta’s cautiously curious response. Turning to Justin, she asked: “And who might you be, young man?”</p>
<p>“Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ma’am.” He bowed just a little too low to be proper, a common problem with children his age.</p>
<p>Augusta politely pretended not to notice his mistake. “Augusta Longbottom,” she introduced herself, inclining her head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Finch-Fletchley.”</p>
<p>“Likewise.”</p>
<p>“Finch-Fletchley… your name sounds familiar,” Augusta mused. “May I ask your house and year?”</p>
<p>“I’m a second year Hufflepuff, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>A look of recognition flashed in August’s eyes. “Second year? That explains it. My grandson Neville is a second year as well, though he’s in Gryffindor. He must’ve mentioned your name at some point.”</p>
<p>“We have Herbology and Charms together,” Justin supplied. “We’ve done group work in Charms together, but it’s nearly impossible to get a seat beside Neville in Herbology because he’s the best in our year and everyone knows it.”</p>
<p>“Yes, he seems to have inherited his mother’s green thumb,” Augusta said with a slight smile, which took Lucius by surprise. The Longbottom matriarch was usually hard on her grandson, too hard on him in Lucius’ opinion. He wondered if she was finally coming to accept that the boy would never be exactly like his father.</p>
<p>Slowly but surely, the other governors made their way into the boardroom, catching up with one another as they did. Lucius took care to pay attention to as many of their conversations as possible. While he wasn’t one for gossip, one never knew when valuable information might be shared. More than half the governors were also on the Wizengamot with him, and they were all far less guarded in what they shared with one another while here. Even the smallest story about a person’s family could be used as a means of relating to them and putting in the groundwork of starting a new alliance. </p>
<p>He glanced over at Finch-Fletchley to see how he was holding up, only to find that the boy was working the crowd like a seasoned politician. He’d just finished talking with Lorelai Jordan and was on his way over to Lord Gerard Abbott, likely knowing he could use both their shared house of Hufflepuff and Gerard’s youngest daughter Hannah as possible conversation starters.</p>
<p>“I do believe it’s time for the meeting to begin,” Lady Elham Shafiq decided as everyone began to settle down and take their seats. “Are we all here?”</p>
<p>“All except for one. It seems Lord Parkinson is running late yet again,” Augusta noted, not bothering to hide her displeasure at his tardiness.</p>
<p>Thaddeus Warringon exhaled a put-upon sigh. “Why am I not surprised?”</p>
<p>Perseus Parkinson, Lord to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Parkinson, was perhaps the most scatterbrained man Lucius had ever met. He was witty and made for a terrific friend, but he had no sense of time, no organization skills, and certainly no ability to plan ahead. If it weren’t for his wife Pangfua, the Parkinson family would have descended into chaos the moment Perseus took on his lordship.</p>
<p>How Perseus had made it into the Dark Lord’s Elite still mystified Lucius. His only real value was his political savviness and ability to make connections, something that could be said for nearly every Death Eater with a Wizengamot seat. He was also great fun at parties, but that was hardly a reason to be one of their lord’s most trusted Death Eaters.</p>
<p>Moments later, Perseus finally graced the governors with his presence. “So sorry I’m late,” he apologized profusely as he entered the room and shut the door behind him, at least having the decency to look guilty. He took the empty seat across the table from Lucius and gave his friend a slight nod as a greeting.</p>
<p>“Now that everyone’s here,” Augusta began, casting a scathing glance Perseus’ way, “let’s get to business.”</p>
<p>“Why don’t we start with why Lord Malfoy brought a child with him today?” Elham suggested. She was looking at Justin as though she thought having a child dressed in formal attire for their meeting was the most adorable thing she’d ever seen.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Lucius agreed amicably. “Mr. Finch-Fletchley, would you like to tell the Board why you’re here?”</p>
<p>Justin gave a nod and stood up to address the room. “Hello, everyone. My name is Justin Finch-Fletchley, and I’m a second year Huffelpuff,” he began, talking just a bit too fast in his nervousness. “I’m here today on behalf of Hogwarts’ muggle-borns. It has come to our attention that Professor Binns does an inadequate job in teaching History of Magic, preferring to focus on goblin wars above all else. This leaves us muggle-born students at a disadvantage, as we learn absolutely nothing about wizarding history and therefore lack context for a number of issues that still affect the magical world today.”</p>
<p>“Could you provide an example?” Perseus asked, sounding genuinely curious.</p>
<p>Justin gave a polite smile. “Certainly. Us muggle-borns come into the wizarding world with absolutely no knowledge of Gellert Grindelwald. The only reason I even know his name is because I asked one of my classmates last year why Headmaster Dumbledore was regarded as a hero by so many. In talking to some of the older students, I’ve learned that the war with Grindelwald is never covered in our current History of Magic curriculum.”</p>
<p>Several murmured concerns permeated the room. Grindelwald was a monster, and his experimentation on muggle-borns, squibs, and orphaned wizarding children was known as one of the most heinous chapters in wizarding history. Lucius had heard a muggle saying from the Dark Lord once that perfectly summed up his own worries over not teaching the students about Grindelwald: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”</p>
<p>“I’ve brought with me several letters penned by muggle-born students, as well as a petition calling for Binns’ dismissal,” Justin continued while the governors were still processing his Grindelwald comments. “It has nearly one-hundred signatures.”</p>
<p>Justin passed around the copies he’d made of the petition and all the letters. He’d wanted to make sure that each of the governors could have their own set. It was a welcome change from how most proposals brought to the Board of Governors had only a single copy to be passed around.</p>
<p>For several minutes, the governors read in silence—the only sounds coming from the shuffling of parchment. Lucius was relieved to see that everyone was taking this seriously, something that didn’t often happen when requests for staff changes were made. The Board had historically trusted Dumbledore’s word over that of the students whenever a complaint was filed against a member of the staff. But after everything that happened with Sirius’ lack of trial and the Potters’ wills, fewer people were willing to blindly follow along with whatever the old coot said.</p>
<p>Lady Rhoda Flint was the first to speak. “This does not bode well at all,” she told the rest of the governors, her nose still buried in one of the letters.</p>
<p>“I’m particularly concerned about the students feeling inadequately prepared for their History of Magic O.W.L. exam,” added Gerard as he frowned at the letter in his hands. “It’s no wonder that the number of N.E.W.T. level History students has taken a nose-dive in the last few decades.”</p>
<p>Lucius hummed in agreement, the only outward sign of his relief over Gerard Abbott being among the first to speak up that he was willing to show. Members of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Abbott historically had Light affinities and modernist political views. To have someone like Gerard in agreement with the movement to replace Binns would be a tremendous show of nonpartisanship that could easily convince the other Light members of the Board to join them.</p>
<p>“Is that in one of the letters?” asked Lorelai, a distinct note of concern in her otherwise smooth voice.</p>
<p>Gerard nodded. “Yes, the one written by Ravenclaw prefect Penelope Clearwater.”</p>
<p>Everyone made a grab for their copy of Ms. Clearwater’s letter. Having already read it, Lucius opted to instead watch the increasingly dismayed reactions of the other governors. This was a good sign. They might even manage a unanimous vote for once so long as no one could think of any positives for keeping that useless ghost on staff.</p>
<p>“My Cassius has mentioned his own concerns about the History of Magic O.W.L.,” Thaddeus added as he skimmed the letter. “According to him, there’s no proper O.W.L. preparation—just more lectures about goblin wars. I truly don’t think they cover anything else in all their years in that class.”</p>
<p>Augusta muttered, “This is simply unacceptable,” as she finished reading and put down the letter. Looking up and addressing the rest of the governors, she stated: “I see no reason in delaying a vote for Binns’ dismissal. It’s clear that he’s a hindrance to our children and grandchildrens’ educations and must be dealt with as swiftly as possible.”</p>
<p>“I have to agree,” Gerard replied. “Lord Malfoy, would you do the honors of holding the vote since you were the one to bring Mr. Finch-Fletchley to today’s meeting?”</p>
<p>“It would be my pleasure, Lord Abbott,” Lucius agreed. He stood up and asked: “All in favor of dismissing Cuthbert Binns from the post of History of Magic professor?”</p>
<p>Every single one of the twelve governors raised their hand. It was a perfect, unanimous victory.</p>
<p>Augusta let out an amused huff. “I suppose there’s no point in asking if anyone wants him to stay.”</p>
<p>“Definitely not,” Perseus affirmed.</p>
<p>“Honestly, I don’t know why Dumbledore didn’t remove Binns from the staff when he died,” Lorelai said, shaking her head. “He was a mediocre professor when he was alive, and it’s clear that his death has only caused a decline in his teaching abilities.”</p>
<p>Elham hummed in agreement. “The only benefit to having a ghost on staff is that they don’t require a salary, but that hardly matters when they aren’t any good at teaching.”</p>
<p>“I’d take a spending increase over the declining value of our childrens’ education any day,” Rhoda added.</p>
<p>“If I may speak to that sentiment…” Thaddeus stated, waiting for everyone to fall silent before he continued. “I’d like to propose the addition of a Wizarding Studies class to the curriculum. It’s clear that we aren’t doing nearly enough to help muggle-borns learn about and adjust to our world.”</p>
<p>Lucius wholeheartedly agreed, but he didn’t want to look too partisan by being the first to reply. The Warringtons were staunch traditionalists, though their traditions were a mix of British and African Diaspora heritage—which some viewed as being a bit more modern while others regarded the blended cultures with suspicion. They also tended to have either Dark or Gray affinities. It wouldn’t do for the head of an almost exclusively Dark family like Lucius to be the first to offer his support, lest they be accused of trying to corrupt muggle-borns or some other Light propagandist rubbish. </p>
<p>“What are your thoughts on the idea of a Wizarding Studies class, Mr. Finch-Fletchley?” Gerard asked, to Lucius’ relief. “Is that something you think muggle-borns would take an interest in?”</p>
<p>Justin hesitated for a moment before answering: “Well, I can’t speak for all the muggle-born students, of course, but I personally would’ve liked to have a class like that my first year—even if it was just an introductory seminar of sorts. Wizarding culture is quite different from muggle culture, and coming to Hogwarts felt a bit like being sent to a foreign country without knowing the language.”</p>
<p>The delivery could have been a bit better, but Lucius internally commended the boy for the impact his message had on the other governors. Rather than dismissing Thaddeus’ idea as a means of pushing muggle-borns to comply with wizarding ways like they might have done in past meetings, they were now forced to see that muggle-borns <i>wanted</i> to understand the magical world.</p>
<p>“That settles it,” Augusta decided, sounding quite pleased. “We can discuss logistics of how the class ought to be formatted and what it should cover when we go over the budget in December.”</p>
<p>A few less important agenda items were discussed, and then, finally, the Board of Governors meeting was over. Some stayed late to chat—including Perseus, since he’d missed the pre-meeting gossip—but Lucius had a student to return to the dormitories. He could always catch up with Perseus and the others later if needed.</p>
<p>“Congratulations, Mr. Finch-Fletchley,” Lucius told the boy as they exited the boardroom together. “Today you managed to accomplish something that most could only dream of.”</p>
<p>Justin cocked his head to the side, looking a bit confused. “And what might that be, Lord Malfoy?”</p>
<p>“Convincing wizards to listen to reason.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Albus Dumbledore was furious. For the first time in decades, the Board of Governors had unanimously decided to relieve a professor of their duties. To make matters worse, they hadn’t even asked his opinion. They <i>always</i> asked his opinion in the past. What in the name of Merlin was going on?<p>It wasn’t that Dumbledore had any real desire to keep Binns on the staff. In fact, he wouldn’t mind seeing the old ghost leave. Having him around might have saved the school the cost of one professor’s annual salary, but that was the only extent of his value.</p>
<p>The problem, though, lied with the fact that no one had consulted him about the staff change. He hadn’t even heard of anyone seriously wanting Binns gone until the Board delivered their letter stating that the History professor would not return to his post after winter break. Dumbledore wasn’t used to being blindsided like that, and he hated it. It shouldn’t be possible, not with both his clout as the self-proclaimed Light Lord his ability as a legilimens.</p>
<p>He tried instead to focus on the positive. Things like this always worked out in his favor, after all, and finding a replacement for Binns would be no different. He could use the open post as a means of bringing another one of his loyalists onto the staff, perhaps one of the remaining members of his Order of the Phoenix.</p>
<p><i>Yes, that’s it</i>! he thought.</p>
<p>Adding another Order member to the staff was the perfect plan. Not only would he have another member of the staff who would do just about anything for him; he’d also have another fighter to help defend Hogwarts when Voldemort inevitably returned. And the timing for it couldn’t possibly be better. With the reopening of the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore would need as many allies among the staff as he could get. </p>
<p>But who to pick? Alastor Moody, Dedalus Diggle, and Elphias Doge were the most blindly loyal to him, with Hestia Jones not being too far behind. Unfortunately, none of them were qualified to teach History of Magic. Doge and Diggle weren’t bright enough to pass off as teachers, Moody wouldn’t dare leave the Aurors until he was done training his latest protege, and Hestia wasn’t nearly organized enough to handle lesson plans and exams.</p>
<p>Remus Lupin might have been a good candidate because years of suffering from lycanthropy had made him grateful for even the most basic acts of kindness, but he’d be better suited as a Defense professor. After all, Dumbledore would need <i>someone</i> to replace Lockhart once the Defense curse inevitably caught up with the man. Who better to hire for a doomed position than a desperate werewolf?</p>
<p>Neither Molly nor Arthur Weasley would agree to teach, and, in all honesty, Dumbledore didn’t think he could stand to spend that much time with Molly. She was a good woman and a loyal, trusting Light witch, but she was far too nosy. She’d ask more questions than Dumbledore typically tolerated from his staff. And Arthur, well, he was too busy doing Merlin knows what with his ever growing collection of muggle gadgets.</p>
<p>“What’s got you in such a sorry state?” asked the portrait of Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black. “Have the makers of your precious Sherbet Lemons gone out of business or something?”</p>
<p>Dumbledore glared at the old headmaster. Of all those who preceded him, Phineas was the one he disliked the most. He was far too proud of being a Dark wizard, and even prouder to know that several of his descendents had been in league with Voldemort. Dumbledore could hardly believe that a man like Phineas had ever been allowed to shape the minds of young children. No wonder wizarding Britain was in such a Dark and sorry state if people like that used to be in charge.</p>
<p>“Not at all, Phineas. I assure you my candy supply is as reliable as ever,” Dumbledore answered jovially despite not feeling jovial at all. “No, the issue lies in Hogwarts needing a new History of Magic professor.”</p>
<p>Phineas smirked, clearly pleased with this news. He always looked pleased when something happened that was inconvenient for Dumbledore. “Well, I can’t say I’m sorry to see Binns go. Why you ever allowed a ghost to have the job is beyond me.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I do believe you’ve said something similar in the past.” Several times per year ever since Binns died, if Dumbledore’s memory served him right. In fact, Phineas hadn’t particularly liked the History professor even when he was alive. </p>
<p>“Lucky for you, that may be the last time I have to say it.” Phineas chuckled. “Say, do you have any idea of who you’d want to replace him? I’m sure I could come up with a few suggestions if you’d like.”</p>
<p>Dumbledore could think of nothing he’d like less than hearing which of the heinous Dark wizards Phineas would want to take the post. The last thing he needed was some Death Eater teaching a revisionist version of history that made Voldemort and his followers look like they weren’t as bad as they truly had been.</p>
<p>“I’m sure I’ll think of someone soon enough,” Dumbledore assured him.</p>
<p>“You know, it’s such a shame that none of my descendents are available for the position,” Phineas bemoaned. “It’s been far too long since there was a Black teaching at Hogwarts. And if I recall correctly, all the ones still living were quite bright as students—save for that rascal Sirius, who you seemed to favor for some strange reason.”</p>
<p>Dumbledore might have rolled his eyes if he didn’t find it beneath him to do so. Of course Phineas was once again showing his blatant nepotism. He always wanted more of his family at Hogwarts, no doubt because they were among the Darkest of the Dark.</p>
<p>All but two of the previous generation of Blacks had been involved with Death Eaters in some way: Sirius and Andromeda. Sirius had been a muggle-loving modernist who thought the height of all creation was muggle rock music, though he unfortunately still had quite a vicious Dark streak that not even his Gryffindor friends had been able to temper. Andromeda, on the other hand, had been a quiet, proper young woman who’d been kicked out of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black for daring to marry a muggle-born.</p>
<p><i>Of course</i>, Dumbledore realized, feeling terribly proud of himself. He could hire Andromeda Black, or, as she was called now, Andromeda Tonks. After all, she’d been a brilliant student, and as a recently retired cursebreaker for Gringotts, she would know quite a bit about history.</p>
<p>Plus she had the added bonus of being a blood relation to the Lestrange twins, which could help bring those two brats back to the Light—and possibly convince the Potter brat to take back the proper Light name of Harry Potter that he’d been gifted. If the boy had been desperate enough for family to cling to horrid Death Eaters like the Malfoys, then showing him the more appropriate option of his Aunt Andromeda might just be the incentive he needed to rejoin Dumbledore’s side.</p>
<p>“You know what, Phineas,” Dumbledore said, “I think you might just be onto something. Your great-great-granddaughter Andromeda Tonks might be persuaded into taking the post.”</p>
<p>Phineas groaned. “Not her! She’s not even a proper Black, not anymore! Couldn’t you pick someone with a decent reputation?”</p>
<p>“You and I have very different ideas as to what constitutes a decent reputation.”</p>
<p>Before Phineas could continue arguing, Dumbledore cast a silencing charm on the portrait. After all, he would need silence while he focused on penning a letter to his future History of Magic professor.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Long Forgotten Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>what exactly happened in the chamber fifty years ago? why can't anyone remember? is it happening again?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i regrettably don't own harry potter<br/>2. this is your warning that shit's getting real</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The news of Professor Binns being forced to resign at the end of the term spread through Hogwarts like fiendfyre. Everyone was gossipping about how it had occurred, which naturally meant that next to no one in the school knew the true story. Hydrus knew because Justin Finch-Fletchley had told Ron immediately after the Board of Governors meeting, and then Ron told their entire friend group. Uncle Lucius had also written to Draco about Binns being fired, but he’d only included the basics—seeing the firing as the only truly important aspect of the whole meeting.</p>
<p>Two days later, Aunt Narcissa wrote to Draco that her older sister Andromeda was going to be their new History of Magic professor. The two sisters had been communicating ever since Sirius reinstated Andromeda and her family as members of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black back in September. Aunt Narcissa was thrilled that her sister had accepted the position, and Draco was thrilled that he would finally get the chance to meet the aunt that his mother wasn’t supposed to talk about due to the disownment but did anyway.</p>
<p>Hydrus received two letters on that same day: one from Sirius and one from his father. An unfamiliar barn owl had swooped down and unceremoniously dropped the two letters in his lap. It then proceeded to stare at him with unnerving insistence as Hydrus opened the letters, almost as if it was waiting to watch him read them.</p>
<p>Sirius’ letter had been a hilarious story of how he, Andromeda, and Narcissa had conspired with the painting of their great-great-grandfather Phineas Black to trick Dumbledore into hiring Andromeda. They’d all known that getting rid of Binns would be a success, and, when Andromeda had casually mentioned that she might like to teach history now that she had retired from her position as a cursebreaker, their great-great-grandfather’s portrait had chimed in with a plan to make that happen.</p>
<p>Grandfather Phineas had a portrait in Dumbledore’s office because he’d been a Hogwarts headmaster while he was alive, so he decided to pay that portrait a little visit. All he’d had to do to convince Dumbledore to hire Aunt Andromeda was complain that there weren’t any “proper” Blacks on staff and then act outraged that the headmaster would want to hire the “disowned” Andromeda Tonks. He returned victorious not ten minutes later and told Aunt Andromeda to expect an offer any day.</p>
<p>The letter from his father, on the other hand, was far shorter and far more serious.</p>
<p><i>My son,</i> the letter began.</p>
<p>
  <i>The Chamber of Secrets does indeed exist. It was opened fifty years ago by two overly ambitious sixth year students, but the story isn’t entirely mine to tell. Go to the second floor and start asking around for Myrtle Warren. She can explain everything far better than I ever could.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Love,</i>
  <br/>
  <i>Your father</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>PS: I hope Athena didn’t give you too much trouble. She’s a terribly aggressive beast, but I wouldn’t trust my mail with anything less.</i>
</p>
<p>“Who on earth is Myrtle Warren?” Hydrus muttered to himself as he finished the letter.</p>
<p>She couldn’t be a student, since none of the students were old enough to remember something from fifty years ago. Perhaps she was a professor. Hydrus hadn’t met a Professor Warren, but there were plenty of professors who taught elective courses to third years and older that he didn’t know the names of. And if she was a professor, then the second floor must be where he office was located. It simply made sense.</p>
<p>Hydrus’ musings were cut off by Draco announcing: “Mother says Aunt Andromeda will be at our family’s Yule celebration this year, along with our Uncle Ted and cousin Nymphadora.”</p>
<p>“The formal celebration or just the family one?” Pansy asked.</p>
<p>“Just the family one this year,” Draco told her. “I guess she wants to get to know all of us a bit better before she has to suffer through the gala.”</p>
<p>Pansy frowned. “And here I was hoping to meet our new professor early.”</p>
<p>“Gala?” Hydrus inquired. This was the first he’d heard of any gala.</p>
<p>“Mother and Father host an annual Yule Gala for all the well-to-do types my father knows from the Ministry,” Draco explained, sounding as if this was a perfectly normal thing that all sorts of families did. “All the adults talk about boring stuff like business and public policy while us kids stuff ourselves on desserts.”</p>
<p>That didn’t sound too terribly stuffy, at least not for the kids, but the concept of a gala still intimidated Hydrus The only party he’d ever been to was the time he’d been allowed to go to was the one at the zoo for Dade’s eleventh birthday, and that hadn’t ended well for him at all. He had no idea how to act at such a formal event with Ministry people all over the place.</p>
<p>Seeming to sense the source of his unease, Pansy assured him: “Don’t worry. We’ll be there with you the whole time to stop you from doing anything too stupid.”</p>
<p>“Obviously,” Draco agreed. “We can’t exactly just leave a muggle-raised hooligan like you unattended around important people, now can we?”</p>
<p>“Thanks for the vote of confidence, you two,” Hydrus said wryly, even though they had indeed made him feel much better about the whole thing.</p>
<p>Draco flashed him a self-satisfied grin that could rival even Lockhart’s. “Any time, my dear cousin.”</p>
<p>“Okay, we’re getting too far off topic,” Pansy decided, commandeering the conversation with glee. “Let’s get back to the ever so important matter at hand: our new History professor! Do either of you know anything about her other than that she’s your aunt?”</p>
<p>Hydrus shook his head. He hadn’t even heard the name Andromeda Tonks until over the summer, and it was just because Sirius had brought up wanting to reinstate her as a member of the family.</p>
<p>“Mother mentioned once that Aunt Andromeda became a cursebreaker right out of Hogwarts,” Draco supplied, though it was evident by his expression that he knew that wasn’t the sort of information Pansy was after.</p>
<p>Pansy let out a noncommittal hum.“So she knows about old things. I suppose that’s always a good trait in a History professor,” she granted. “Any idea what she’s like as a person? Is she friendly? Strict? Does she suffer from the Black family madness?”</p>
<p>“I highly doubt they’d let her teach here if she were mad,” Draco insisted.</p>
<p>“Lockhart,” Hydrus reminded him.</p>
<p>Draco grimaced. “Never mind then. Apparently they’ll let anyone teach here, so we can’t rule out madness after all.”</p>
<p>“So all we know for sure is she used to be a cursebreaker and she may or may not be more competent than Lockhart?” Pansy summarized. “Got it.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I think that’s about it,” Hydrus agreed.</p>
<p>Draco turned to Hydrus. “What about the letter from your father? Didn’t he say anything about Aunt Andromeda? I mean, he <i>was</i> the one to suggest bringing her back into the family. Surely he knows a bit about her if he’d do something like that.”</p>
<p>“No. I mean, he might, but that’s not what his letter was about. He was responding to that letter I sent him a days ago. You know, the one about…” Hydrus lowered his voice until it was nearly a whisper, “the Chamber of Secrets.” </p>
<p>Draco and Pansy both leaned in closer, eager to hear more. “And?” Pansy prompted. </p>
<p>“Apparently it was last opened fifty years ago, but Father said it wasn’t his story to tell,” Hydrus replied.</p>
<p>“Fifty years ago?” Draco repeated. “It must’ve been your grandfather who opened it then.”</p>
<p>“That’s highly unlikely, seeing as my grandfather was a muggle,” Hydrus reminded him.</p>
<p>“Oh. Right. Grandmother then?”</p>
<p>Hydrus just stared at his cousin. There was no way he was this dense. “Draco, I’m pretty sure it was my father.”</p>
<p>“But your father’s only, what? Forty?” Draco guessed, wrong by so many decades that Hydrus almost laughed in his face. “How could he have opened it?”</p>
<p>That explained quite a lot. His father did look quite young for his age and was good friends with Uncle Lucius, who was in his late thirties. Draco must’ve assumed they were around the same age. Had Hydrus not known otherwise, he might have made the same incorrect assumption.</p>
<p>“He’s in his sixties, actually,” Hydrus told him.</p>
<p>Draco’s eyes bulged so big that Hydrus was worried they might pop. “His sixties? Really?”</p>
<p>Hydrus nodded.</p>
<p>“Damn.” Draco let out a long whistle. “Well, he looks great for being that old.”</p>
<p>“I’ll be sure to tell him that,” Hydrus deadpanned.</p>
<p>Pansy pouted in such an overly dramatic fashion that it was nearly comical. “Boys, you need to focus,” she scolded them. “Chamber of Secrets. Now!”</p>
<p>“Alright, alright, you harpy,” Draco conceded. “There’s no need to get all shrill about it.”</p>
<p>“I’ll do whatever I please,” Pansy said with a sniff.</p>
<p>Draco rolled his eyes. “Anyway…” he drawled, pointedly ignoring Pansy’s glare, “did the letter say anything else about the Chamber?”</p>
<p>“Just that I should talk to someone called Myrtle Warren,” Hydrus replied, double checking his letter to make sure he got the name right. “Do either of you know her? I think she might be a professor here since obviously none of the students would have been here fifty years ago, but I don’t recognize the name.” Almost as an afterthought, he added: “He mentioned her being on the second floor, if that helps.”</p>
<p>Draco shook his head. “No, I don’t know of any Myrtle Warren.”</p>
<p>“I’ve never heard of <i>anyone</i> called Myrtle Warren—professor or otherwise,” Pansy admitted. She looked thoroughly annoyed by that fact, which Hydrus attributed to her unending need to know everything about everyone. “I’ll have to ask around and see what I can find. Second floor, you said?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Hydrus confirmed. “I’m guessing that’s where her office is.”</p>
<p>“It must be,” Pansy agreed.</p>
<p>“Do you reckon she might’ve married since your father knew her?” Draco asked, eyeing up the staff table. “Professor McGonagall would be the right age, after all, and her first name is something starting with an ‘M’. She could very well be Myrtle McGonagall now.”</p>
<p>Before Hydrus could congratulate Draco on that impressive deduction, Pansy sighed and informed them: “Her first name is Minerva, not Myrtle. We’ve heard Snape call her that several times. Honestly, don’t you ever pay any attention?”</p>
<p>“Oh,” was all Draco managed to say. He looked absolutely crestfallen to see that his theory was so easily proved wrong.</p>
<p>“It was a good effort,” Hydrus lied, patting his cousin on the shoulder.</p>
<p>“No,” Pansy disagreed, “it really wasn’t.”</p>
<p>The three of them spent the remainder of breakfast arguing over who this mysterious Myrtle Warren may or may not be, with Theo occasionally weighing in whenever he decided their theories were more interesting than the book he was reading. Theo wasn’t a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, preferring the company of of his books over people until at least nine-thirty, so it was a bit of a shock when he first chimed in. He’d even put forward his own theory: that Myrtle Warren was a portrait that liked to hang out on the second floor. Hydrus thought that was a bit ridiculous, but, seeing as his father had possessed one of their teachers for the entirety of the previous school year, he decided a chatty portrait named Myrtle wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.</p>
<p>“I’m just saying that the portraits in this school have all definitely seen some crazy stuff,” Theo argued when Draco dismissed his idea. “It’d make sense if at least one of them had witnessed whatever happened the last time the Chamber was opened.”</p>
<p>“The same goes for the ghosts,” Pansy added, getting a strange, faraway look in her eyes as if she was trying to remember something very specific that was just out of reach. “Do you think the Bloody Baron might know something as well?”</p>
<p>Draco arched an incredulous eyebrow. “Oh, please. As if the Bloody Baron would waste his time talking to a couple of second years like us.”</p>
<p>“You never know,” Pansy said with a glare. “He just might seeing as one of us is the heir of Slytherin.”</p>
<p>“She’s got a point,” Hydrus conceded. He didn’t particularly want to talk to the Bloody Baron, but he was willing to give it a try if it meant taking down this imposter heir running around.</p>
<p>A loud gasp from the Gryffindor table silenced the entire Great Hall.</p>
<p>Hydrus and the rest of the school turned to see what was going on, and found a very tired looking Professor McGonagall discussing something with Dade, Ginny, and Luna—who often joined her Gryffindor friends for breakfast during the weekends.</p>
<p>“What do you think that’s about?” Pansy whispered, her voice laced with concern.</p>
<p>Hydrus winced when he saw Ginny cling to Luna and begin to cry. Luna didn’t even seem to register what had happened, her stare so blank that Hydrus could feel their emptiness piercing through him from the other side of the Great Hall.</p>
<p>“Whatever it is, it can’t be good,” was all Hydrus said. He couldn’t even begin to guess what would cause the girls to react like that.</p>
<p>“Don’t they usually have a fourth person with them?” Draco asked hesitantly. “That blonde boy with the muggle camera?”</p>
<p>Hydrus nodded. “Yeah, Colin Creevey.” He looked up and down the Gryffindor table, but he found no trace of Colin. “I hope something hasn’t happened to him.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t set my hopes that high if I were you,” Theo said, sounding terribly grim.</p>
<p>Hydrus and his friends waited until breakfast was over before going to see what was wrong, as they didn’t want to draw any more attention to the situation than it already had. The three first years were entitled to their privacy and certainly didn’t need the whole school gawking at them the moment a group of Slytherins crossed the Hall to join them. Everyone had already done more than enough staring to last a lifetime.</p>
<p>Hermione, the Weasley twins, and Ron were all waiting outside the doors to the Great Hall by the time Hydrus and his fellow Slytherins got there. All three Weasleys were speaking quietly about how worried they were about their sister, while Hermione was on the lookout for Dade, Ginny, and Luna. </p>
<p>“What do you think all of that was about?” Hermione asked her brother as they waited for Dade.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure,” he admitted, “but Draco noticed that their friend Colin wasn’t at breakfast. He and Theo seem to think that something happened to him.”</p>
<p>Hermione grimaced. “Well, as much as I hope that his absence is a complete coincidence, I’m not sure what else might have upset Dade and his friends so much. They looked really shaken up.”</p>
<p>Hydrus agreed, but, before he could say anything, the three first years made their way over to them.</p>
<p>Dade had gone far too pale, and his hands were shaking. He looked as though his own shadow would give him the fright of his life. In all the years of knowing him, Hydrus had never once seen Dade so scared—not even when he’d witnessed Hydrus’ more intense bursts of accidental magic as a child. Seeing his cousin so shaken set him on edge. Whatever was bothering Dade must be truly terrible.</p>
<p>His friends were faring no better. Ginny’s eyes were red and her cheeks were streaked with tears, while Luna looked uncharacteristically serious.</p>
<p>“What happened, Gin? What’s wrong?” Ron asked his sister, worry written all over his face. </p>
<p>Ginny burst into tears for the second time that morning. “It’s Colin!” she wailed. “He’s been petrified!”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Minerva McGonagall paced in her office. One of her little lions had been attacked by whoever or whatever had opened the Chamber of Secrets, and she had no idea what to do. There was only so much she could say to comfort the others, especially when she herself could take no comfort in what little information she’d gotten so far.<p>She’d tried talking to Albus after the attack, but he’d brushed her off with some strange comment about how he didn’t think there was a “who” involved—something about a Dark artefact possibly being brought into the school for the purpose of opening the Chamber of Secrets, he’d said, as if that somehow made sense.</p>
<p>To make matters wore, when she’d asked what could be done to help Mr. Creevey recover, he’d told her to wait until Pomona’s mandrakes to reach maturity. That was months away! She wasn’t about to let one of her students languish in the Hospital Wing from now until spring. There was no way the poor boy would be able pass his first year after spending most of it petrified. </p>
<p>After everything that happened the previous year, Minerva’s faith in Albus was sinking. He should never have sealed the Potters’ wills. He claimed it was an honest mistake made in the rush of trying to tie up all the war’s loose ends, but that so-called mistake had put a child in an abusive home and an innocent man in Azkaban.</p>
<p>And then there was the matter of Quirinus Quirrell. Albus claimed that the man had been possessed by You-Know-Who, and that he’d died as a result of that possession. Yet, as Deputy Headmistress, Minerva knew full well that Hogwarts had anti-possession wards due to an unfortunate incident involving Peeves taking control of a seventh year for “pranks” almost eighty years ago. Either Albus was wrong in his assertions, or the wards had failed. Both possibilities filled Minerva with a horrid sense of unease.</p>
<p>She remembered asking Albus about the investigation into Quirinus’ death and whether the Aurors had been contacted, but, strangely enough, she had no memory of him ever answering her questions. That had been happening to her more and more frequently as of late. Her memories of approaching Albus with her concerns were clear, as were the memories of her walking away feeling satisfied with his answer. The problem was that more and more of those answers were mysteriously absent from her recollections. She was beginning to worry that there was something wrong with her. After all, healthy people didn’t lose chunks of their memories like that.</p>
<p>Minerva didn’t trust Albus to properly look into the matter of the Chamber of Secrets, but, with her worsening memory problems, she didn’t trust herself to do it either. She feared she’d forget important details and end up researching herself into a circle, constantly looking for clues that she couldn’t remember finding. </p>
<p>When she’d heard from Filius that Severus had been investigating ever since the Halloween attack on Mrs. Norris, Minerva nearly cried in relief. He had a sharp, analytical mind and a downright terrifying dedication to anything he put his mind to. If anyone on the staff could get to the bottom of this mystery, it was Severus. </p>
<p>As soon as she’d learned of his investigation, Minerva sent Severus a note asking him to have tea with her in her office at his earliest convenience. He’d agreed immediately. She might not be able to take the lead, but she was willing to help in any way possible.</p>
<p>A knock at the door brought her back to the present. She glanced up at the clock. Severus was right on time like always. </p>
<p>“Good afternoon, Severus,” Minerva greeted the Potions master as she opened her office door and let him in. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice, Severus.”</p>
<p>Severus waved her off before sitting at the chair across from her desk. “I assure you it’s no problem at all. I’d already hoped to speak with you about the Chamber of Secrets at some point in the near future.”</p>
<p>“Because of what happened on Halloween?” she asked. It only made sense that Severus would want to talk to anyone who could provide a firsthand account of what had happened to Mrs. Norris, and she was among those who found her.</p>
<p>“Not quite. It’s come to my attention that you were a student when the Chamber of Secrets was last opened,” Severus explained. “I was hoping you could tell me what you remember from back then.”</p>
<p>Minerva’s eyes widened in surprise. She’d nearly forgotten about that. How could she have forgotten? And why was it that what little she remembered was so fuzzy? She’d been a first year, hadn’t she? An older girl had been attacked, a Ravenclaw. What was her name? Why couldn’t she remember?</p>
<p>“I’m afraid I don’t remember much of what happened back then,” she admitted, trying and mostly failing to temper her frustration. She should know more. She <i>knew</i> she should know more.</p>
<p>“Truly?” Severus asked, sounding quite shocked. “I know it was a long time ago, but surely something as traumatic as a murder at the school would stick with a person.”</p>
<p>Minerva smiled sadly. “Yes, you’d think so. Maybe it’s my old age catching up with me, but my memory isn’t what it used to be these days.”</p>
<p>“Old age? Minerva, you’re barely into your sixties. You have at least another thirty or forty years before you’d be considered old by wizarding standards.”</p>
<p>“And yet there are times where I already feel ancient,” she admitted. “I fear living through two major wars has aged me far beyond my years.”</p>
<p>If Severus was uncomfortable with her sudden openness, he didn’t show it. Instead, he simply said: “Well, don’t worry too much if you can’t answer my questions.”</p>
<p>“Shall we begin then?”</p>
<p>“Yes, let’s.” Severus pulled a notebook and quill from the pockets of his outer robes. “Would you mind telling me what all you <i>do</i> remember about the last time the Chamber was opened? We can use that as a starting point for further questions.”</p>
<p>Minerva fell silent, trying to remember more than just the basics. She knew the Chamber had opened in 1943 when she was a first year. Two people had been petrified. One had died. There were talks of closing down the school until the Chamber of Secrets was found. And then, all of a sudden—</p>
<p>“A student was expelled for opening the Chamber,” she recalled, “but unfortunately I can’t remember who. I’m sure you could find it in the school records.”</p>
<p>“It was Hagrid,” Severus said slowly, studying her face as if he was anticipating some specific reaction. “Hagrid was expelled and his wand was snapped because former Headmaster Armando Dippet believed him to be the culprit—without proof, I might add.”</p>
<p>Minerva gasped. There was no way it could have been Hagrid! Who would have even accused him? He’d been a bit reckless, true, but he’d been just as sweet back then as he was now.</p>
<p>“That… that can’t be right,” Minerva insisted, although, strangely enough, she couldn’t make herself believe the words even as she said them. What Severus said sounded familiar, like it was something she’d heard a long time ago and forgotten until this very moment. “I’m sure I’d remember if it was Hagrid.”</p>
<p>Yet she <i>did </i> remember something to do with Hagrid. There had been an incident involving him and some sort of spider the same year that the Chamber of Secrets was opened. As far as she recalled, there had been no correlation between Hagrid’s spider and the Chamber. Could her memory of that year truly be so muddled that she thought of the two apparently related events as being entirely separate?</p>
<p>The beginnings of a headache throbbed behind her eyes. Trying to recall on all these incomplete memories was going to give her a migraine. Why did it hurt so much to focus on them?</p>
<p>Severus frowned. “I spoke about it with Hagrid just yesterday, and I can assure you that he was the one punished for opening the Chamber fifty years ago. He even offered to introduce me to the acromantula that Dippet believed to be Slytherin’s monster. I refused, of course, because I prefer being alive.”</p>
<p>Minerva might have laughed at Severus’ biting wit were her gut not twisting with tendrils of concern. “But Dumbledore has always maintained that it was You-Know-Who that opened the Chamber of Secrets. If that’s true, then why hasn’t he done anything to clear Hagrid’s name?”</p>
<p>“I’ve been wondering the same thing myself.”</p>
<p>If someone had brought this information to Minerva this time last year, she would have dismissed them as a conspiracy theorist or accused them of having some sort of grudge against Dumbledore. Now, though, after what had happened to “Harry Potter” and Sirius Black, she couldn’t help but worry that Hagrid was yet another victim of Dumbledore’s negligence. How many others had suffered a similar fate in the name of the greater good?</p>
<p>“When this investigation is all said and done, we need  to get justice for Hagrid,” Minerva decided, her stern voice leaving no room for arguments.</p>
<p>“We’d have all the exculpatory evidence we’d need by then,” Severus agreed. “Do you by any chance recall who else might have been suspected of opening the Chamber back then?”</p>
<p>Minerva shook her head. “No, nothing comes to mind—save for Dumbledore’s theory that it was You-Know-Who. Of course, he’s never actually told me the man’s true name, so I don’t know if there’s any merit to that claim or not.”</p>
<p>“He never mentioned any other suspects? I’d heard he was suspicious of a student a few years older than you by the name of Tom Riddle.”</p>
<p>“The prefect and Head Boy?” Minerva asked incredulously.</p>
<p>Severus nodded.</p>
<p>“Well that’s just preposterous! Riddle wasn’t the sort to go around attacking other students, except perhaps with words and wit.” She wasn’t entirely sure what type of person he’d been, but she couldn’t picture him ever becoming violent with someone. He’d simply had a sharp tongue. Almost as an afterthought, she added, “Besides, her death devastated him. Everyone knew that.”</p>
<p>“<i>Her</i> death?” Severus repeated, arching an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“The… the victim,” Minerva said, though her voice had gone a bit shaky. “I’m certain it was a girl. She was muggle-born. I remember people thinking it was a hate crime, and that she was targeted for her blood status.”</p>
<p>The briefest flash of a memory played before Minerva’s eyes: a brown-haired, bespectacled girl in a Ravenclaw tie. It faded just as quickly as it had appeared, erased by the throbbing in her head becoming twice as intense as before.</p>
<p>“Interesting. I must admit I hadn’t heard that theory yet,” Severus mused. “Just one more question, if you don’t mind. Does the name Myrtle Warren mean anything to you?”</p>
<p>A sharp, icy pinch pierced through Minerva’s temples. “I don’t… I don’t know.”</p>
<p>“You don’t know?” Severus repeated.</p>
<p>“No, I—”</p>
<p>Her words were cut off by an excruciating pain tearing through her mind. Long forgotten memories were bubbling up to the surface, each one crowding out the next in the hopes of being seen. It was as if something had sliced through some barrier, freeing everything she hadn’t even known was locked away.</p>
<p>
  <i>A girl with long brown hair and too-big glasses assuring her: “Don’t worry, little firstie. Us muggle-raised students have a study group going. We’ll get you caught up to the purebloods in no time.”</i>
</p>
<p>Minerva tried to focus on the memory, to watch the rest of it play out. She could tell it was important. It was so familiar, and she was so close to remembering who the girl was. But as soon as she felt the girl’s name on the tip of her tongue, the memory vanished as a new one began to play.</p>
<p>
  <i>”Have any of you seen Myrtle recently?” a dark haired Slytherin prefect asked the muggle-raised study group, worry evident on his usually stoic face. She recognized him as Tom Riddle, the one who came up with the idea for the muggle-raised students to start their study group. “She was supposed to meet me in the library nearly an hour ago, but she never showed.”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Minerva’s eleven year old self frowned. “No, sorry. She hasn’t been here either.”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>”You should try the Hospital Wing, Riddle,” one of the other muggle-raised students—a Ravenclaw third year named Jack Michaels—suggested. “She got some bad news from home this morning, and she was in a right state about it. I wouldn’t be surprised if she went for a calming draught.”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>The prefect paled. “I think… I think I’ll try looking for her there. Thank you, Michaels.”</i>
</p>
<p>Before Minerva could recover, another memory overtook her.</p>
<p>
  <i>Study group had just ended, and eleven year old Minerva was making her way back to Gryffindor tower by herself. She didn’t usually walk by herself, but Hagrid had opted instead to go see the new hippogriffs that the Care of Magical Creatures students would be studying and two others were in the dormitories recovering from wizard’s flu.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She didn’t particularly mind walking around alone, especially not now when there was still enough daylight for her to find her way back. It gave her a chance to explore the castle. Today she was taking a detour through a corridor on the second floor that was rumored to have portraits that liked to gossip about past students. She thought it might be fun to hear the sorts of things they had to say.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Minerva was so focused on finding the portraits that she didn’t notice the water on the floor until she stepped in it. She looked down, annoyed at having wet shoes, and noticed that the water was streaming out of the girls’ restrooms. Listening closely, she could hear one of the sinks still running. Someone, she realized, must have forgotten to turn off the tap.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She entered the restroom to turn off the tap and hopefully stop the flooding, but before she could, she saw something she knew she would <b>never</b> forget. Lying face up in a puddle of bloodied water was the lifeless body of Myrtle Warren. Her eyes were wide open.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Minerva screamed.</i>
</p>
<p>“I… I was the one who found her,” was all Minerva managed to say before her entire world went black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Dueling Club</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>look if you read the book then you what i mean by naming this chapter after lockhart's shit dueling club</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i don't own harry potter<br/>2. italicized portions are yoinked from canon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The news of the attack on Colin Creevey had spread through the entire school by the following morning. Headmaster Dumbledore had assured them at breakfast that there was no need for alarm and that the culprit would be brought to justice soon enough, but no one believed him—not even the rest of the staff.</p>
<p>Professor Snape told the Slytherins later that same day to ignore Dumbledore and start traveling in pairs at minimum, though he recommended larger groups whenever possible. Some of the students tried to argue that they shouldn’t have to because the heir of Slytherin wouldn’t attack fellow Slytherins, but those who had seen the standoff between Hydrus and Mulciber told them off for believing in the rumors that this was being done by a true heir.</p>
<p>The sudden disappearance of Professor McGonagall had set off a wave of alarm around the school as well. A number of students were convinced that the Transfiguration professor had been another one of the false heir of Slytherin’s victims. Not even the assurances by other professors that she was on medical leave for an unrelated health problem managed to quell the rumors. Everyone was in far too much of a panic to listen to reason.</p>
<p>
  <i>Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school. Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, a rotting newt tail before his friends pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>”They went after Filch first,” Neville said, his round face fearful. “And everyone knows I’m almost a squib.”</i>
</p>
<p>“You’ve got plenty of magic. They wouldn’t have let you into Hogwarts otherwise,” Draco insisted as he tried to get Neville to throw away that horrid onion.</p>
<p>Hydrus nodded in agreement. “And you’ve been doing much better this year now that you’ve got a new wand,” he reminded his friend.</p>
<p>Even Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, who weren’t all that close to Neville, had assured him that he’d be fine. They may have been primarily motivated by trying to get that onion out of the Gryffindor boys’ dormitories, but the sentiment was still appreciated. Neville ended up keeping the crystal, but eventually agreed to get rid of the onion and newt tail.</p>
<p>Dade and Ginny, however, were much harder to convince. While they didn’t buy any of the strange and obviously fake talismans going around, they’d begun to spend an inordinate amount of time in the library researching defensive spells. Their friend Luna joined them as well, though she mostly worked on her homework, saying something about how the humdingers knew they would be protected.</p>
<p>“Whoever’s doing this is obviously a blood purist,” Dade explained as he looked up from a book on protection charms and wards. He was wearing his special reading glasses that the healers at St. Mungo’s had given him to help with his dyslexia—which had helped him become a lot more confident in both his reading abilities and overall capacity to learn. “As a muggle-born and friend of the first victim, I’m probably at the top of the list for who’d they go after.”</p>
<p>“And everyone knows the Weasleys are blood traitors, so it’s only a matter of time before one of us becomes a target,” Ginny added between muttering the spells she found in <i>Introductory Curses and Countercurses</i>.</p>
<p>“You’ll be fine,” Ron assured his little sister. “If they were going to attack a Weasley, they’d pick Percy over you. After all, he’s the most annoying of us by far.”</p>
<p>That didn’t make Ginny feel any better.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Pansy had enlisted the help of Hermione, Padma, and Millicent for her investigation into the mysterious Myrtle Warren. They’d confirmed so far that she wasn’t a student, but it surprised them to learn she wasn’t a member of the staff either. Theo’s theory that she was a portrait was looking more and more likely, though the girls still wanted to investigate the human being angle a little while longer before they started talking to portraits.</p>
<p>But that wasn’t the only excitement going on. Towards the end of November, notices for a new dueling club started popping up outside of the Great Hall and various classrooms. It garnered quite a bit of interest, as many of the students believed it would be an excellent way to learn how to defend themselves against “the heir of Slytherin”—the stolen title continuing to annoy Hydrus to no end.</p>
<p>“I doubt whoever’s behind these attacks is following the rules of proper dueling,” Ron said, though he was still looking at the notice with obvious interest.</p>
<p>“No, probably not,” Hyrus agreed. Petrifying cats and eleven year olds didn’t exactly sound like the sort of thing done by respectable people who cared about decorum. “It might be fun though.”</p>
<p>“Oh, definitely.”</p>
<p>Hydrus and his friends ended up deciding to go to the first meeting that night just to check it out. They weren’t sure of what to expect, but hanging out in the Great Hall to learn about dueling sounded like a far more entertaining way to pass the evening than being stuck without one another in their respective common rooms. And, if they were lucky, they might even get to see a proper duel.</p>
<p>“Do any of you know who’s running this club?” Draco asked as they made their way into the Great Hall along with nearly every other Hogwarts student.</p>
<p>The dining tables had been pushed against the walls, and a giant golden stage had been set up in the middle of the room. It reminded Hydrus more of a runway than a fighting arena, though he supposed it made sense. Dueling wasn’t nearly as hands-on as boxing or MMA. They wouldn’t need a big, wide square platform cordoned off with ropes in order to shoot spells at one another.</p>
<p>“I hope it’s Professor Snape,” Ron said enthusiastically despite still being somewhat nervous around the Potions professor due to his mediocre abilities in the subject. “I bet he can cast some really nasty hexes.”</p>
<p>Hydrus didn’t know if Professor Snape’s Death Eater ties were common knowledge, so he decided not to comment. It would be terribly awkward if he ended up having to explain to Ron just how he knew about the man’s talent for Dark curses.</p>
<p>“Professor Snape would be a decent enough instructor, but I’d rather it be Professor Flitwick,” Hermione told them. “Did you know he used to duel professionally before he started working here? He’s won a bunch of dueling championships over the years.”</p>
<p>Hydrus had a hard time picturing their lighthearted Charms professor as a duelist. It wasn’t as if anyone had ever won a duel with a Cheering Charm, after all, and Flitwick didn’t seem the type aim any type of spell at someone that didn’t make them feel happier.</p>
<p>“Do you think they’d ever let us learn weapons training?” Pansy asked excitedly, shocking the rest of their friend group. Upon seeing their startled faces, she rolled her eyes and insisted: “Look, it could be important. Not every problem can be solved with a wand. Sometimes you need a knife or a sword.”</p>
<p>Needless to say, that didn’t reassure any of them. Millicent and Tracey—who had decided to attend the club meeting with them out of curiosity—both looked worried that Pansy might stab them in their sleep one of these days.</p>
<p>The students were so invested in speculating which professor would be supervising the club that they would have missed Lockhart entering the Great Hall had he not made such a show of his arrival. He strode into the room like a celebrity walking down a red carpet, the heels of his boots clicking against the floor and his lilac cape flowing behind him.</p>
<p>“Please tell me he’s lost and didn’t mean to come in here,” Ron half begged.</p>
<p>Millicent pointed toward the entrance. “Look, Professor Snape’s coming in, too.”</p>
<p>Professor Snape skulked into the room with murder in his eyes and an aura of doom radiating off of him like a toxic smog. The whole school knew he hated Lockhart with every fiber of his being, except maybe to the oblivious Defense professor himself. Hydrus could only hope that Snape was stalking after Lockhart so that he could drag him out of the Great Hall.</p>
<p>“Maybe Snape’s going to use Lockhart for target practice,” Draco said with a snigger.</p>
<p>From the sound of things, Draco wasn’t the only one in the crowd hoping for that. There was a near constant murmuring of wishes that something tragic should befall Lockhart. Even those who despised their dour Potions master were hoping to see Snape send Lockhart to the Hospital Wing.</p>
<p>
  <i>Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, “Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!”</i>
</p>
<p>“Sure doesn’t seem so excellent for the rest of us,” Ron muttered, eliciting a chuckle from Hydrus.</p>
<p><i>”Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club,”</i> Lockhart continued, strutting about the stage like a pompous peacock, <i>”to train you all in case you need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions—for full details, see my published works.”</i></p>
<p>Draco grimaced as he watched Lockhart’s overly dramatic pageantry. “Dumbledore should be fired and charged with reckless endangerment for allowing this idiot to lead this club,” he decided.</p>
<p>“One count per student in attendance,” Hermione added in agreement.</p>
<p>Lockhart then proceeded to introduce Professor Snape as his assistant, which earned him a nasty glare from the Potions professor.<i>”He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don’t want any of you youngsters to worry—you’ll still have your Potions master when I’m through with him, never fear!”</i></p>
<p>“Snape’s going to murder Lockhart right in front of us, isn’t he?” Hydrus murmured.</p>
<p>Ron snorted. “If only we could be so lucky…”</p>
<p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” Pansy scolded the both of them. “He’d obviously employ more discretion than that and wait until they were alone before staging an accident.”</p>
<p>“Or he’d slip an undetectable poison into Lockhart’s food,” added Hermione, looking a little too interested in the idea.</p>
<p>Seeing as Hermione had already sent their Defense professor chocolates that had been tampered with to stain his teeth black, Hydrus decided to pretend he didn’t see the gleam in his sister’s eyes. He needed plausible deniability in case she decided to up her game.</p>
<p>
  <i>Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.</i>
</p>
<p>“Now, on the count of three, your Professor Snape and I will cast our first spells,” Lockhart announced. “But you don’t need worry about his safety. This is just a friendly little exercise between colleagues.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think Snape knows the meaning of the word ‘friendly’,” Ron quietly quipped.</p>
<p>“That’s my godfather you’re talking about,” Draco said with feigned indignance. “I mean, you’re right, but still.”</p>
<p>With an entirely unnecessary flourish of his wand, Lockhart shouted: “One, two, three!”</p>
<p><i>Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried “<b>Expelliarmus</b>!” There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.</i> His wand, meanwhile, flew in the complete opposite direction, falling to the stone floor with a staccato <i>clack</i>.</p>
<p>Several people cheered, Draco and Hermione the loudest among them.</p>
<p>“Top form, good sir!” George Weasley called out over the applause.</p>
<p>“Absolutely smashing!” Fred added in his best impersonation of an overly posh accent.</p>
<p>Professor Snape did his best to hide his amusement at the twins’ antics, but Hydrus could see the corners of his mouth twitching up into a slight smirk.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes. Very good,” Lockhart said, though he didn’t sound at all like he meant it. As soon as he found his wand, he meandered back to the platform on unsteady legs, his now dusty cape trailing sadly behind him. “Excellent display of the Disarming Charm, Severus. Of course, I thought it would be most instructive to let you win so that the students would get to see a clear example of the spell,” he added magnanimously, earning him a vicious glare from Snape. “It was all too obvious what you were about to do, you know, and—”</p>
<p>“Of course, Gilderoy,” Professor Snape cut him off, sounding dangerously calm for someone who looked like he could kill with just a glare. “Everyone here is well aware of your… unparalleled skills.”</p>
<p>Lockhart once again proved how much of an idiot he was by taking Snape’s words at face value instead of noticing the underlying insult. “Too right you are,” he agreed grandly and then turned to the crowd. “Well, now that we’ve had such an informative demonstration, why don’t all of you break into pairs and practice the Disarming Charm?”</p>
<p>There was quite a bit of shuffling among the crowd at the students picked out their partners. Hydrus partnered with Ron, Hermione with Pansy, Tracey with Millicent, and Draco waved over a lost looking Neville so that they could pair up.</p>
<p>“Have you all found a partner?” Lockhart didn’t bother to listen to the crowds’ answers before continuing. “Very good. Now, on the count of three, I want you to disarm your opponents by saying <i>Expelliarmus</i>. Please only disarm one another! We can move onto more advanced wandwork once you’ve al mastered this. Ready?” He once again didn’t wait for anyone to respond before shouting out: “One, two, three!”</p>
<p>“<i>Expelliarmus!</i>” Hydrus and Ron shouted at the same time.</p>
<p>There was a slight tug on Hydrus’ wand, but he managed to keep it from flying out of his hand. Ron’s wand, however, fell unceremoniously onto the floor beside him. It wasn’t nearly as spectacular as what Professor Snape had done, but Hydrus still counted it as a success. Perhaps with time and practice, he’d be able to make Ron’s wand fly across the room.</p>
<p>Ron’s mouth fell open. “You did it, mate! And on the first try!” He sounded genuinely excited over his friend’s success, even as he reached down to get his wand. “You’ve got to explain to me how you managed it.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Hydrus admitted with a shrug. “I just knew I wanted your wand out of your hand, and then it was.”</p>
<p>“Impressive, Mr. Lestrange,” came the steady voice of Professor Snape. “Defensive magic, much like Transfiguration, relies more on intent than spellwork and wand waving,” he explained loudly enough that the other students could hear him. “One may be able to manage the spell on perfect execution alone, but if you truly want results—” Snape lifted up his right hand, and Hydrus’ wand went flying into it, startling Hydrus while almost everyone else clapped “—you have to mean it.”</p>
<p>“Wicked!” Ron breathed. His eyes had grown to the size of dinner plates. “I didn’t know you could do wandless, wordless magic, Professor.”</p>
<p>Professor Snape simply smirked and returned Hydrus’ wand before going off to see if any of the other students were struggling.</p>
<p>It took a few more tries, but Ron and the rest of Hydrus’ friends eventually got the hang of the Disarming Charm. Even Neville, who still insisted he barely had any magic despite doing much better with his new wand, had managed to disarm Draco after about a dozen attempts.</p>
<p>“Well done, everyone!” Lockhart announced from his place on the stage. “Now that nearly everyone has managed the Disarming Charm at least once, why don’t we put on a bit of a show? After all, it’s hardly a dueling club if we don’t have at least one proper duel.”</p>
<p>Excited murmurs swept through the crowd. Even Hydrus was interested in the idea. He doubted Lockhart would be stupid enough to attempt a remaatch against Professor Snape so soon, but it would still be entertaining to watch whoever did end up dueling.</p>
<p>Lockhart scanned the crowd. “I see a lot of eager faces, but why don’t we start with… Hydrus Lestrange and Neville Longbottom?” </p>
<p>Hydrus cringed at the sound of his own name being called. He supposed it was a small mercy that Lockhart had at least called him by the correct name for once—having mostly dropped his incessant use of the name “Harry Potter”, save for the rare occasions the two were alone together. Dropping the use of that famous name, unfortunately, had not meant Lockhart’s weird obsession with him had faded. He still constantly wanted to make Hydrus the center of attention, apparently oblivious to how much Hydrus hated it.</p>
<p>“Absolutely not,” Professor Snape said icily. “Longbottom’s nervous disposition will only become more pronounced with an audience. Putting him up on the stage for everyone to gawk at would be a far worse fate than whatever spells might be cast his way.”</p>
<p>Hydrus cautioned a glance over at Neville and saw that, despite his flushed cheeks and alarmed eyes, he was nodding in agreement with Professor Snape.</p>
<p>“No one wants to see a couple of twelve year olds fight anyway!” called out an older boy wearing a Gryffindor tie.</p>
<p>Quite a few people agreed with that sentiment judging by the head nods and whispers that followed.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright,” Lockhart conceded, not looking at all happy about that fact. “How about… Terrence Higgs and Oliver Wood? A great Gryffindor vs. Slytherin rivalry for both on and off the quidditch pitch!”</p>
<p>“Why does he sound like he’s trying to sell us something?” Ron muttered.</p>
<p>Hydrus shrugged. “He probably doesn’t know any other way of speaking.”</p>
<p>Wood and Higgs climbed onto opposite ends of the stage, sending each other death glares the entire time. Everyone knew that Oliver Wood was fanatical about quidditch and took the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin a little too seriously, but fewer knew that Terrence Higgs was nearly as bad—mostly because he kept his ranting and raving to the Slytherin common room rather than shouting about it on the quidditch pitch.</p>
<p>“Now, let’s have a good fight, but a fair one,” Lockhart announced more to the crowd than to Wood and Higgs, who both looked half tempted to hex the other into oblivion. “On the count of three: one, two, three!”</p>
<p>The effects of not having a consistent Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had never been so obvious. While Wood and Higgs both clearly had good control of their magic, it was clear that neither of them were in any way familiar with dueling. They appeared to just be shouting spells at random without any real plan of attack or any idea of how to block the spells coming their way.</p>
<p>Wood had just managed to hit Higgs with a particularly nasty boils hex when Higgs shouted a spell that Hydrus had never heard before: “<i>Serpensortia</i>!”</p>
<p>A long, black snake erupted from Higgs’ wand. It reared its head up to take in its surroundings, hissing at everyone it saw, before slithering down the length of the stage.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry; I’ll get rid of it!” Lockhart declared, which made absolutely no one feel safer.</p>
<p>While Lockhart was wrestling with his wand and trying to keep it from falling out of his hand, the snake appeared to have found a target: Justin Finch-Fletchley. He was standing with his fellow Hufflepuffs on the side of the stage opposite Hydrus, and the snake was coming right at them.</p>
<p><i>~Ssstand down!~</i> Hydrus hissed, hoping the snake would listen.</p>
<p>The snake stopped in its tracks and glanced around until it finally locked eyes with Harry. <i>~A sspeaker? Where am I, sspeaker? What isss thiss place?~</i> it asked in a nasally but distinctly male voice.</p>
<p><i>~Yess, a sspeaker,~</i> Hydrus assured the snake. <i>~I’m ssure you’re ssscared, but don’t go attacking anyone, okay? You’re in a sschool, but you were sssummoned by accident. I can help you asss long as you promisse not to attack.~</i></p>
<p>The snake nodded once and slithered to Hydrus’ side, where he seemed to finally relax. He curled up in a resting position and drooped its head.</p>
<p>“Are you alright, Justin?” Hydrus asked worriedly.</p>
<p>Justin nodded jerkily, his eyes still fixed on the snake. “Yeah, I think so.”</p>
<p>Ernie Macmillan and Zacharias Smith, who were standing on either side of Justin, looked neither alright nor relieved. “What the hell are you playing at?” Smith demanded to know.</p>
<p>Hydrus balked at that. “What do you mean? All I did was calm the snake down.”</p>
<p>“You were obviously egging it on!” Smith insisted.</p>
<p>“Yes, because he’s clearly acting so aggressive now that I’ve talked to him,” Hydrus said, rolling his eyes. It was like Smith was being purposely obtuse, though, knowing what he did of the boy, Hydrus supposed he really was just that much of an idiot.</p>
<p>“<i>Cobra Evanesca</i>!”</p>
<p>The snake disappeared the moment the spell left Professor Snape’s mouth. “I’ve sent the snake back to wherever he came from,” he assured everyone in the room, although his gaze was focused on Hydrus. Abruptly, he turned to Wood and Higgs, who had stopped dueling and had taken to standing around in wide-eyed confusion. “And detention, Mr. Higgs, for setting a highly venomous desert cobra loose in the school!”</p>
<p>“But—”</p>
<p>“Don’t even think of arguing with me right now, Mr. Higgs,” Professor Snape cut him off, sounding more venomous than even the cobra could have managed.</p>
<p>“Well…” drawled Lockhart, clapping his hands together, “I think this is a good a time as any to wrap things up. Why don’t you all hurry on back to your dorms now?”</p>
<p>The students didn’t need to be told twice. They poured out of the Great Hall and back to their dormitories so quickly that Hermione didn’t even have a chance to properly say goodbye before being swept away by her fellow Ravenclaws.</p>
<p>“Thank Merlin you were there tonight, Hydrus, or someone could’ve died,” Draco said with a shudder as the Slytherins and one Hufflepuff of their group made their way to the dungeons. “Honestly, what was Higgs thinking? A cobra? I knew he was an idiot, but that’s beyond moronic.”</p>
<p>Draco’s words took Hydrus by surprise even though they probably shouldn’t have. The rational part of Hydrus’ mind knew that cobras were highly lethal because of their quick strikes and potent venom. The parselmouth part of his brain, however, had completely forgotten that some snakes were dangerous.</p>
<p>“I just don’t get why Macmillan and Smith got all weird about it,” Hydrus complained, feeling more than a little disappointed in his fellow students. “I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever tried to hide being a parselmouth. It can’t have come as that much of a shock.”</p>
<p>“Right?” Ron agreed. “You haven’t exactly been subtle about it, what with having a bloody snake familiar.”</p>
<p>Pansy nodded in agreement. “Where is Iris anyway?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Back in the dorms,” Hydrus replied, chuckling to himself. “Would you believe me if I said she didn’t want to come tonight because she thought it’d be boring?”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>In the aftermath of the snake incident, the school became divided into two major camps: those who believed Hydrus had acted to protect Justin Finch-Fletchley, and those who were now convinced that he was the one behind the attacks on Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey. The fact that Justin himself believed Hydrus had told the snake to stand down didn’t seem to be of any consequence to anyone who had come to the latter conclusion. They’d already decided to think the worst of Hydrus without giving any consideration to the facts.<p>Gryffindors, with a few exceptions, seemed to be of the belief that Hydrus was finally proving himself to be the evil Dark wizard they’d thought he’d be after it turned out that his surname was Lestrange. Neville, Dade, and Ginny all knew he had nothing to do with the attacks and certainly wouldn’t have set a venomous snake on Justin, but they were still only three young children in house full of students who already tended to believe the worst in Slytherins.</p>
<p>Ravenclaws tended to be on Hydrus’ side, or, at the very least, were entirely neutral. They didn’t have any evidence that Hydrus had attacked anyone, nor could they find any motive. Besides, one of their own was a parselmouth and could have just as easily been accused without proof. It wouldn’t do for them to be hypocrites, not like the ones in Gryffindor who had conveniently forgotten they had a parselmouth with the same last name as the only known descendents of Slytherin in their own house.</p>
<p>The divide was at its worst in Hufflepuff house. According to Ron, there were arguments about whether or not Hydrus was safe to be around at least once a day, and they got so bad that some of the Hufflepuffs were refusing to speak to one another. He and Justin were Hydrus’ most outspoken supporters in their house, but their fellow yearmate Susan Bones defended Hydrus almost as eagerly as the other two—although her arguments were based more on the importance of fairness and her strong sense of justice rather than any personal attachment to Hydrus since she hardly knew him.</p>
<p>Slytherin, on the other hand, had come to the silent, nearly unanimous decision to support Hydrus. It didn’t matter if they believed he was behind the attacks or not; they weren’t about to let anyone try and cause him harm. Hufflepuffs may be known for their loyalty, but Slytherins always protected their own.</p>
<p>Because of the rumors and tension and paranoia circulating around Hogwarts, Hydrus and his friends were finding it increasingly difficult to spend time together outside of classes. The buddy system had spread to the other houses, and, while it was more of a suggestion than a real rule due to Dumbledore insisting that everything was fine, it was now nearly impossible to go anywhere without being stuck with one’s housemates. Hydrus liked his own housemates well enough and didn’t mind Hermione’s either (outside of Terry Boot, who was still a prat), but it was nearly impossible to get Ron and Neville away from the insufferable idiots they shared houses with.</p>
<p>And so, when Ron sent him an owl asking if they could hang out that upcoming Saturday as far away from Hufflepuff as they could manage, Hydrus had jumped at the idea. He missed his friend. Besides, by the sounds of his letter, Ron was going a bit mad being surrounded by his housemates—who kept trying to either warn him that Hydrus would kill him for being a blood traitor or demanded to know if he thought Justin was being genuine in his assurances that Hydrus wasn’t dangerous.</p>
<p>When Saturday finally came along, Hydrus was in a great mood. He and Ron had plans to spend the entire day together. He was going to meet Ron outside the Hufflepuff dormitories and walk his friend up to the Great Hall for breakfast, where they’d be eating together at the Slytherin table. They’d hang out and play chess and find an abandoned classroom for their friends to all hang out in, using each other to satisfy the buddy system the entire time. It was going to be brilliant.</p>
<p>Hydrus’ excitement, unfortunately, dissipated before he even finished the short walk over to the Hufflepuff dormitories.</p>
<p>“You don’t really think it’s Lestrange, do you, Ernie?” asked a nervous looking girl with ruddy cheeks and blonde pigtails. She was standing outside the entrance to the Hufflepuff dormitories with that annoyance Ernie Macmillan, occasionally glancing around as if she thought the heir of Slytherin might attack her at any moment. “He’s always seemed so nice.”</p>
<p>Rather than walk into what would surely be a fight, Hydrus decided to hang back where the others couldn’t see him. He was sure they’d leave for breakfast in the Great Hall soon enough, and then he could wait for Ron without being a part of any conflicts.</p>
<p>
  <i>”Hannah,” the stout boy said solemnly, “he’s a parselmouth. Everyone knows that’s that the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself serpent-tongue.”</i>
</p>
<p>“Dark or not, it’s lucky someone in our year is a parselmouth. I’d be a goner if he hadn’t told that snake to stand down,” interrupted the familiar voice of Justin Finch-Fletchley as he came through out of the common rooms and toward his fellow Hufflepuffs. </p>
<p>Ernie’s expression soured. “Justin? What are you doing down here? I thought I told you to stay in the dormitories where it’s safe.”</p>
<p>“And I told you that I wasn’t going to because you’re being stupid, Ernie,” Justin retorted, crossing his arms. “If you used that brain you supposedly have somewhere in that thick skull of yours, you’d have noticed that the snake backed off as soon as Hydrus started talking to it.”</p>
<p>Ernie scoffed. “Oh, so he’s Hydrus now? I didn’t realize you were on a first name basis with Death Eater spawn like him.”</p>
<p>“What have his parents got to do with anything?” Justin asked, exasperated.</p>
<p>“They probably taught him loads of blood purist nonsense. I mean, just look at who his victims were. It’s obvious he’s trying to get rid of squibs and muggle-borns.”</p>
<p>Hydrus thought he was going to snap. He stepped forward loudly, startling both Ernie and Hannah. Justin, however, smiled warmly at him as though he’d been expecting him.</p>
<p>“Couldn’t help but overhear what you said about what you think you know about my upbringing,” Hydrus said, his voice icy. “I grew up in the muggle world, and for most of last year, believed my best friend was a muggle-born.” He paused to glare at Ernie, who looked ready to interrupt. “You might remember from the <i>Daily Prophet</i> articles last year that my sister and I were kidnapping victims. We didn’t even know who our parents were until this past spring. So why don’t you kindly tell me how parents I’ve never met were able to teach me anything?”</p>
<p><i>”I’ve heard you hate those muggles you live with,” said Ernie swiftly.</i> It was quite possibly the worst comeback he could have thought up.</p>
<p>Justin looked offended on Hydrus’ behalf. “I’d hate living with my kidnappers, too!” he exclaimed. “Honestly, Ernie, what the hell is your problem?”</p>
<p>“Besides, it’s <i>lived</i> with. Past tense,” Hydrus corrected, growing more annoyed with every word that came out of Ernie’s mouth. “And not that it’s any of your business, Macmillan, but I hate them because they’re monsters. There’s a reason they’re locked up in Azkaban, you know.”</p>
<p>Ernie paled at that, but jut out his jaw in defiance anyway. “Locked up for what? Fraud? Because you’re not really the Boy Who Lived? It’s hardly their fault that you—”</p>
<p>“They had their own son’s magic so severely bound that it almost killed him!” Hydrus seethed. “They hated magic so much that they’d have rather had a dead child than one that was a muggle-born! And that doesn’t even include how they felt about <i>my</i> magic! So why don’t you just stop running your mouth since you don’t have <i>any</i> idea what kind of hell it was to live in their house!”</p>
<p>That finally managed to shut Ernie up. His face had scrunched up as if he’d swallowed a lemon and he had a look in his eyes that he now somehow hated Hydrus even more than he did before, but at least he was quiet about it.</p>
<p>The moment it looked like Ernie had come up with a retort, Justin said, “It’s terrible you and your cousin had to grow up in a house like that. My family thought my magic was brilliant, but I’ve heard from quite a few of the other muggle-borns that acceptance doesn’t seem to be the norm.”</p>
<p>“I’ve heard a lot of the same,” Hydrus admitted. “I have Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa now, but I feel terrible for everyone who hasn’t got anyone else to take them in.”</p>
<p>Justin nodded sagely.</p>
<p>“I don’t see how anyone could be happy about living with the Malfoys,” Ernie muttered just loud enough that everyone heard him.</p>
<p>Sensing that another argument was about to break out between Ernie and Justin, Hydrus quickly changed the topic. “Anyway, I only came over this way because I was supposed to meet up with Ron,” he explained. “Could one of you go and let him know I’m here?”</p>
<p>Hannah, who hadn’t made a sound ever since Justin had appeared, gave a rushed reply of, “I’ll go het him!” and disappeared into the the Hufflepuff dormitories.</p>
<p>“Do you mind if I tag along?” Justin asked, glaring at Ernie. “I don’t think I’m up for the hostile atmosphere of Hufflepuff today.”</p>
<p>“You’re always welcome to join us, Justin,” Hydrus assured him, even though he didn’t fully mean it. Justin may have toned down the rich boy attitude he’d had last year, but he was still a bit annoying. Ron had become friends with him, though, so Hydrus knew he’d at least have to get used to being around him.</p>
<p>A moment later, Ron stepped out of the Hufflepuff dormitories with a grin on his face. That grin, however, faded as soon as he spotted the tension emanating from the other three boys. “What the bloody hell did I just miss?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Nothing important,” Justin assured him. “Just someone voicing their unwelcome opinions.”</p>
<p>“Oh, and Justin’s joining us today.”</p>
<p>Ron shrugged, his grin quickly returning. “Alright, works for me. Breakfast then?”</p>
<p>As the three boys made their way up to the Great Hall, Hydrus felt a small sense of victory well up within him. While he hadn’t managed to change anyone’s mind about his being the one to attack Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey, he had found a fierce defender in Justin Finch-Fletchley. Perhaps, with people like him around, Hydrus would come out of this heir of Slytherin nightmare just fine.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Moaning Myrtle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>hermione and pansy meet a very important ghost</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i don't own harry potter, but i'm about to fight jk rowling to the death over the rights to the series since she keeps doing all this transphobic shit</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the argument in front of the Hufflepuff dormitories, a new routine began for Hydrus and his friends. Justin had been declared part of their group, and he and Ron had taken to eating at either the Ravenclaw or Slytherin tables for most of their meals. There was a bit of friction at first because of Justin’s tendency to brag, but the more time they spent together, the less he did it and the better they all got along. Hydrus supposed Justin had simply been trying to impress them and ended up going overboard. Either that, or someone had called him out on it and got him to stop.</p>
<p>Becoming casual friends with Justin didn’t do anything to help the rumors going around about Hydrus. Instead, those who were already suspicious of him had come to the absolutely ridiculous conclusion that Hydrus was somehow controlling Justin—either with elaborate compulsion spells or the Imperius Curse. None of them seemed to care that those sorts of spells were far too advanced for a twelve year to perform.</p>
<p>The teachers tried for the most part to reign in the harassment and jinxes being sent Hydrus’ way, but even they didn’t seem to have the power to put an end to it. Even Lockhart had tried to defend him a couple of times, although it was because his new theory was that this whole thing was a prank put together by Hermione and the Weasley twins to make him look bad. Dumbledore, of course, either wasn’t aware that half the student body was targeting one student, or else he didn’t care.</p>
<p>“It’s absurd what lengths Headmaster Dumbledore will go to just to pretend nothing’s wrong,” Justin had said imperiously one evening at dinner. “First he wouldn’t get rid of incompetent professors, and now he won’t do anything about this whole so-called heir of Slytherin mess.”</p>
<p>“I completely agree,” Draco replied in a matching tone. “You’d think being stripped of his Chief Warlock position would have at least given him more time to focus on Hogwarts, but apparently not.”</p>
<p>It was moments like these that Hydrus wished Justin wasn’t a part of their friend group. He and Draco were so similar and agreed on so many things that the two of them together could quickly become insufferable to be around. They acted more like tiny politicians than children most of the time, and when they got an idea into their heads, everyone around them felt as though they were sitting through some abridged Wizengamot session.</p>
<p>Ron shot Hydrus a sympathetic look. They both knew it would be impossible to stop Draco and Justin once they started on one of their tangents.</p>
<p>“And considering one of the reasons he lost his Chief Warlock position—” Justin cast a meaningful glance Hydrus’ way “—it’s surprising that he isn’t trying to do right by children, especially in the case of one he already wronged so terribly.”</p>
<p>Justin had learned quite a lot about the events that had occurred after the Potters’ wills had been unsealed the previous spring since he started spending more time with Hydrus and his friends. Like Ron and Padma, he didn’t know about Voldemort being Hydrus and Hermione’s father, but they’d deemed it acceptable to tell him the rest. Hydrus had expected that knowledge to shatter Justin’s faith in Dumbledore, but it turned out Justin already didn’t particularly like the headmaster. If anything, he seemed delighted to know that his distrust in the old man’s grandfatherly act was completely justified.</p>
<p>“It really speaks to his character that he would choose inaction yet again,” Draco agreed.</p>
<p>Ron nudged Hydrus in the ribs and muttered, “Do you ever get the feeling they’re having a secret conversation underneath the one we can hear?”</p>
<p>“Only all the time,” Hydrus readily admitted.</p>
<p>Completely oblivious to Hydrus and Ron’s sidebar conversation, Justin asked: “At what point do you think an intervention would be appropriate?”</p>
<p>“I think I’ll discuss the matter with my father over the holidays,” Draco decided, looking introspective. “He has a far better mind for this sort of thing than I do.”</p>
<p>“Plus he has weight behind his name should action need to be taken,” Justin agreed.</p>
<p>“Too true.”</p>
<p>Draco and Justin shared a conspiratorial look and shook hands, seemingly pleased with how their conversation had gone.</p>
<p>“What in Merlin’s name do you think that was about?” Ron asked after Draco and Justin resumed their meals, acting as if nothing odd had just occurred.</p>
<p>Hydrus pursed his lips in thought before realizing: “I’m pretty sure they just came up with a plan to get Dumbledore in trouble with the Board of Governors, and they’re going to get Uncle Lucius to help.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Ron said, shrugging. “Well, that’s alright then.”</p>
<p>“What did you think they were talking about?”</p>
<p>“Knowing the two of them? I figured they were plotting an assassination attempt or something.”</p>
<p>Hydrus couldn’t think of anything to say to that. While he still didn’t know Justin all that well, he could definitely see Draco plotting something like that. He might not be as bloodthirsty as Pansy, but he had a vengeful streak that any young member of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black would be proud of.</p>
<p>But Draco and Justin weren’t the only ones who seemed to be plotting against Dumbledore. There had been murmurs in the Slytherin common room that the headmaster’s refusal to acknowledge the increased hostility towards their house qualified as negligence at best and discrimination at worst. Pansy’s older sister Peony had even written home to their father about what was going on at the school, explaining that his being on the Board of Governors might be the leverage they need to force Dumbledore into action.</p>
<p>Hydrus had heard from Neville that Gryffindor also took issue with how Dumbledore was handling things, although it was for though for entirely different reasons. They wanted the attacker brought to justice, but their increasingly anti-Slytherin bias had led some of them to believe that the best way to go about it was to punish Slytherin house as a whole until they confessed to the identity of the “heir of Slytherin”. Hydrus didn’t see what they’d need Dumbledore for in that plan, though, since the Gryffindors were doing plenty of punitive “justice” against Slytherin students in the name stopping the attacker.</p>
<p>Even some of the professors were beginning to look rather mutinous. Professor Sprout couldn’t get through a single class on mandrakes without bringing up her annoyance that Dumbledore would rather wait until hers were ready to harvest for the restorative draught than purchase them fully grown from an outside source. Professor Snape was also critical of this plan, having mentioned several times that he’d told Dumbledore he knew where they could get mandrakes for a reasonable price—only to be rebuffed every time he brought it up. And while it was less obvious than the outright complaints of some of the others, Hydrus didn’t miss the way Professor Flitwick often shook his head in disappointment whenever someone brought up the subject of the headmaster.</p>
<p>The only person in the entire school who seemed to think Dumbledore was doing a good job was, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart. While he disagreed with the headmaster when it came to theories about who the attacker might be, he was still of the opinion that Dumbledore was doing a splendid job of keeping the school safe. It didn’t matter that absolutely nothing had been done about the attacks, not to Lockhart, because apparently Dumbledore had personally assured him that he was “looking into things”.</p>
<p>That stance alone had finally broken the spell on the last of those poor students who had still been enamored by their famous professor. Even lovestruck Lavender Brown was annoyed that their “hero” Defense professor didn’t think anything more needed to be done to stop the imposter heir.</p>
<p>“But aren’t you worried that Slytherin’s monster might be real, Professor?” Lavender had asked him halfway through Defense Against The Dark Arts the week before winter break. “Shouldn’t someone at least be looking into it?”</p>
<p>Professor Lockhart waved her off. “I can hardly imagine that there’s a thousand year old beast prowling the school,” he told her in a condescending tone. “Nothing is even capable of living that long, except perhaps vampires.”</p>
<p>Theo’s hand shot into the air. “What about sphinxes, sir? And cockatrices? And redcaps? And phoenixes? They all have such long lives that they’re widely regarded as immortal.” He watched Professor Lockhart’s expression grow frustrated, and smirked. “But of course you already knew that as a Defense professor. Right?”</p>
<p>“Nobody can control a redcap, though, not even the heir of Slytherin” Seamus Finnigan interjected. “They’re far too bloodthirsty.”</p>
<p>“Quite right, Mr. Finnigan,” Lockhart quickly replied, relieved to have something to talk about besides his own ignorance. </p>
<p>Even though Hydrus was certain that the Chamber of Secrets hadn’t been opened and no monster had been unleashed, he now found himself curious as to what the original monster might have been. Seamus was right that it wouldn’t have been a redcap, and sphinx was just as unlikely unless Salazar Slytherin wanted to riddle people to death. And with the hereditary gift of Parseltongue in his blood, it would make sense that the creature understood the serpent’s tongue.</p>
<p>Hydrus raised his hand, a strange sense of urgency clawing at his insides. </p>
<p>“Yes, Mr. Lestrange?” Professor Lockhart asked, curious.</p>
<p>“This is probably a really weird question,” Hydrus began, already feeling like an idiot but pressing on anyway, “but do you or anyone else in the room know if cockatrices have rooster or serpent vocal chords?”</p>
<p>“I… what?” came Professor Lockhart’s ineloquent answer. He stared at Hydrus as if he’d grown a second head.</p>
<p>“I was just wondering if they crow or hiss, Professor,” Hydrus elaborated.</p>
<p>Neville’s eyes went wide in realization. “Oh! I get it! You want to know if they could respond to Parseltongue, right?”</p>
<p>Hydrus nodded vigorously. He was glad he could count on his friend to understand his logic. “Yes! If it’s <i>Slytherin’s</i> monster in the Chamber, then wouldn’t it make sense for it to be something a parselmouth could communicate with?”</p>
<p>“Either way, I guess we can rule out a cockatrice since Mr. Heir of Slytherin over there doesn’t even know if they speak Parseltongue,” Seamus retorted.</p>
<p>“Oi, shut it!” snapped Lavender, her expression icy. “He’s making a good point about what type of monster it might be, which is more than you can say.”</p>
<p>Hydrus was surprised by Lavender’s comment. He’d barely ever spoken to her even in their shared classes, and, in these admittedly limited interactions, he’d come to the apparently false conclusion she was the type to mindlessly go along with house politics. To see her so publicly break from a housemate’s stance was pleasantly unexpected, and he found himself feeling a bit guilty for having such a low opinion of her.</p>
<p>“Now, class—”</p>
<p>Professor Lockhart’s attempts to settle the class were quickly cut off by the door swinging open with a loud creak of its hinges. “Gilderoy,” Professor Snape greeted him from the doorway, a somber expression on his already chronically disgruntled face. “The headmaster requires your presence on the landing of the fifth floor staircase. Immediately.”</p>
<p>“Oh? Why’s that?” Professor Lockhart asked, seemingly excited for whatever imagined adventure he was about to go on.</p>
<p>“There’s been another attack.” Professor Snape rolled his eyes at the students’ gasps. “Both the Gryffindor ghost and Mr. Justin Finch-Fletchley have just been found petrified.”</p>
<p>Hydrus’ heart sank into his stomach as the room broke out into pandemonium. Who would want to attack Justin? And, more alarming, how did it attack Nearly Headless Nick? He shuddered to think what sort of monster could hurt someone who was already dead.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>It had taken nearly a month, but Hermione had finally solved the mystery of Myrtle Warren. While Pansy had dealt with the more social aspect of their investigation and followed up on leads that came from gossip, Hermione had spent hours on end researching in the library. She’d found no such name listed among Hogwarts’ past graduating classes. She’d even checked a twenty year span after her limited search the previous year had nearly kept her from discovering her true identity. No one called Myrtle Warren had graduated from Hogwarts.<p>Not one to give up easily, Hermione changed her tactics. Maybe if she found newspaper articles from fifty years ago, she’d find mention of the Chamber of Secrets being opened. And maybe, just maybe, those newspaper articles would mention the name Myrtle Warren as well.</p>
<p>Her new plan had paid off. The front page story of the <i>Daily Prophet</i> on the sixth of February 1943 told a tale of a muggle-born girl named Myrtle Warren who had been found dead in a girls’ bathroom. She’d suffered a minor head wound from falling to the floor, but it was unclear what had actually killed her. The article went on to speculate that her death had been related to the recent petrifications and the rumors going around that the legendary Chamber of Secrets had been opened.</p>
<p>“Don’t you see, Pansy?” Hermione asked excitedly as she finished catching her friend up on her research. “She died in that in that bathroom. What if she never left?”</p>
<p>Rather than balk at her theory like Hermione had worried she might, Pansy’s face lit up with some manic sort of realization. “Moaning Myrtle!” she shrieked. “My sister told me about her! She’s supposedly a really temperamental ghost that haunts a girls’ bathroom on the second floor. How did I not think of her sooner?”</p>
<p>Hermione and Pansy had rushed out of the library after that. The revelation couldn’t have come at a better time. Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick had been petrified earlier that same afternoon. Hermione hoped that, should Myrtle be willing to talk to them, she and Pansy might walk away with information that could prevent future attacks. Or, at the very least, maybe they could prove once and for all that these attacks were the work of some horrible imposter who wanted to trick everyone into thinking the heir of Slytherin was behind it.</p>
<p>“Doesn’t it strike you as odd that we’re currently nowhere near where we found that warning about the Chamber?” Hermione asked as they made their way down a nearly abandoned corridor on the second floor.</p>
<p>“A bit, yeah,” Pansy admitted. “I mean… I can see wanting to try and throw everyone off, but we’re practically on the other side of the school. And it’s not exactly like you can move a monster around completely unnoticed in a school full of people. You’d think someone would’ve seen something.”</p>
<p>Hermione hummed in agreement. She agreed with her brother’s theory that the monster—if it did indeed exist—was something serpentine in nature, and she couldn’t think of any serpents that become invisible. What’s more, no one had <i>heard</i> anything. Most beasts weren’t exactly quiet, and the stone floors had a tendency to make every little footstep echo. How could this alleged monster be possibly getting around unseen and unheard?</p>
<p>Her musings were cut short when she overheard running water. <i>A lot</i> of running water. It sounded like multiple sinks being flooded, and, considering what Pansy had mentioned about Moaning Myrtle earlier, it was probably was.</p>
<p>“Do you hear that?” she asked Pansy, who nodded. “We must be getting close.”</p>
<p>After only a few more steps, the girls finally found the entrance to the girls’ restroom. The room looked like it had been abandoned ages ago. No torches were lit, and the only meager light in the room came from the too small windows. Several cracks marred the stone walls and floor, as well as two of the mirrors above the sinks. The only sign that anyone had been in here recently was four running sinks.</p>
<p>“What are the two you doing in here?” demanded a shrill voice. “Don’t you know this place is haunted?”</p>
<p>A translucent head peered out from one of the mirrors and turned to glare at Hermione and Pansy. The rest of the body soon followed, floating toward the girls until the ghost was hovering just above their heads. The ghost looked down her nose at them, lips pursed and hands on her hips like an impatient mother waiting for her children to explain their misbehavior.</p>
<p>“Are you Myrtle Warren?” Hermione hesitantly asked the ghost.</p>
<p>The ghost crossed her arms. “Why do you want to know? Have you come here to mock me?”</p>
<p>“No, not at all,” Hermione insisted. “My father told me about you. He said that…” She looked over at Pansy, who gave her a reassuring nod. “He said that you know what happened when the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago.”</p>
<p>“I see.” The ghost who was almost certainly Myrtle didn’t look particularly convinced. “And just who might your father be?”</p>
<p>“Well he goes by a new name now, but you would have known him as Tom Marvolo Riddle.”</p>
<p>All the frostiness in Myrtle’s expression melted, and she began to giggle. “Oh, you must be his family if he let you know about <i>that</i> name.” She shook her head, her face the perfect picture of amusement. “He told me all about his children when he taught here last year. I should’ve realized it was only a matter of time before he started sending you to visit me.”</p>
<p>“The Dark Lord taught here last year?” Pansy asked, startled.</p>
<p>Hermione just stared at her friend. “He was possessing Professor Quirrell,” she said slowly, wondering how Pansy could have forgotten that. “Headmaster Dumbledore even made that big announcement about it at the end of the school year.”</p>
<p>“What?” Pansy shrieked. Her eyes had grown to the size of dinner plates. “I thought Dumbledore was just talking shit!”</p>
<p>“He does talk a lot of shit, doesn’t he?” Myrtle agreed with a chuckle. “I remember he was always making strange declarations about all of Tom’s alleged misdeeds back when we were students. You’d think he’d confused Tom with Peeves what with all the nonsense he claimed.” Her expression darkened, and all the pipes in the bathroom began to shake—causing both Hermione and Pansy to startle at the sound. “He even tried to blame Tom for my death!”</p>
<p>Hermione sucked in a shaky breath. This was her best chance at learning the truth. “May I… may I asked how you died? And who was responsible?”</p>
<p>Excitement danced in Myrtle’s translucent eyes. “Oh, it was dreadful!” she shrieked. “It was early February of 1943—right in the middle of the London Blitz. My Head of House had just informed me that morning that my family had all been killed in the air raid the night before, and I was crushed. Well…” she trailed off, a faraway look in her eyes and a tremor in her hands that set off all but one sink, “not as much as they were, I suppose. Granted, I still hadn’t forgiven my parents for the last exorcism they’d subjected me to, but my brother and sister didn’t deserve to die like that.”</p>
<p>Hermione blanched at the mention of an exorcism. Her adoptive parents pretending she didn’t exist and then happily signing away their rights to her the second Uncle Lucius showed them the papers had been painful enough. She couldn’t imagine the torment Myrtle went through with her parents believing she had a demon inside of her just because she could do magic.</p>
<p>“Where was I? Oh, yes!” Myrtle continued with a newfound determination. “I had just learned that I didn’t have any family left in the entire world, and I’d probably be taken to an orphanage at the end of term. So, of course, I was bawling my eyes out like any normal person would.” She pursed her lips, and her eye began twitching. “And then, just when I was at what I <i>thought</i> was my lowest, I ran into that bint Olive Hornby!</p>
<p>“She thought she was so special just because she was a moderately wealthy pureblood heiress, and I was nothing more than a strange, poor mudblood.” Both Hermione and Pansy tensed at the slur, but Myrtle pressed on, her expression growing stormier by the second. “She’d heard about what happened to my family and thought it was all a good laugh. After all, they were only muggles. Who cares what happens to them, right? It’s not as if they’re people just like us!”</p>
<p>The rattling pipes began to squeal and groan from the intensity of Myrtle’s fury. One was even whistling like a train, and, if she weren’t so invested in hearing the rest of the story, Hermione might have feared  that the pipe would burst.</p>
<p>“I wanted revenge!” Myrtle shouted. “I wanted to get her back for every single insult and slur she’d thrown at me for the past six years! Tom had sent the basilisk—” Hermione’s breath caught in her chest at the revelation that Slytherin’s monster truly existed “—after Gunther Goyle for me, but this time, I resolved to do it myself. I’d heard him hiss the commands enough times, or I thought I did.”</p>
<p>The coils of dread tightened in Hermione’s gut. She had a terrible feeling that she knew exactly where this was going, and for the first time in her life, she desperately wished she was wrong.</p>
<p>“I opened the Chamber of Secrets. That was the only part I managed to get right.” One of the pipes burst behind Myrtle, but she didn’t seem to notice. “When I called the basilisk, I… I must have forgotten to include the command that he shield his gaze. The last thing I remember was those bright yellow eyes.” She shook her head sadly. “I was dead before I hit the floor.”</p>
<p>Hermione knew on a rational level that Myrtle’s death had occurred fifty years ago, but she felt the loss as if it were happening now. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes as she silently mourned a tragedy that had happened decades before she was even born.</p>
<p>After a few moments of oppressive silence, Pansy asked: “But did you ever get your revenge?”</p>
<p>“Against Olive Hornby? Oh, yes,” Myrtle said as a terrifying grin spread across her face. “I haunted her personally until she graduated Hogwarts. She tried to get the ministry involved, but Headmaster Dippet invoked some old law about ghosts being able to defend their homes however they see fit. It was probably one of the only good things that bigoted old bastard ever did.”</p>
<p>“Brilliant,” Pansy decided, wearing a grin that matched Myrtle’s.</p>
<p>Myrtle let out a soft, noncommittal hum. “But I take it the two of you didn’t come here just to hear my sob story,” she surmised. “So are we opening the Chamber of Secrets today, or was this a scouting mission?”</p>
<p>Pansy looked around excitedly. “The Chamber’s somewhere in here? Really?”</p>
<p>While Hermione had expected that to be the case considering Myrtle hung around this room in particular, the confirmation was still a thrill. She stood mere feet from absolutely proof of one of the oldest and most debated legends in all of Hogwarts’ history.</p>
<p>Hermione shook such thoughts from her head. She hadn’t come here to enter the Chamber. She was on a mission. “Actually, Myrtle,” she told the ghost, “we were wondering if the Chamber has been opened recently? There’s been some attacks around the school and the culprit is claiming they’re the heir of Slytherin.” She chewed anxiously on her lower lip. “Have you had any visitors in here opening the Chamber?”</p>
<p>“No, none at all,” Myrtle said, shaking her head. “The Chamber of Secrets hasn’t been opened in nearly twenty years.”</p>
<p>Hermione arched an incredulous eyebrow. “Twenty years?” she repeated slowly. “But my father said that it was opened <i>fifty</i> years ago.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Tom and I opened it fifty years ago,” Myrtle agreed with a sly smile. “But Tom wasn’t the last parselmouth to attend Hogwarts.”</p>
<p>“Lily Evans-Potter,” Hermione realized, earning a nod from Myrtle.</p>
<p>Myrtle chuckled to herself. “I always thought it was funny that she ended up marrying James Potter despite wanting to set the basilisk on him in her fifth year. If it weren’t for Tom, Severus, and I reminding her why that was a bad idea, I think she might’ve even gone through with it.”</p>
<p>“Severus?” Pansy repeated, her eyes bugging out of her head from the shock of that revelation. “You mean to say Professor Snape knew about the Chamber of Secrets this whole time?” </p>
<p>“Yes, and he’s not the only one on staff who knew.” Myrtle floated around the perimeter of the room, peered down the hallway, and then returned. “There are those who wouldn’t want you to know this, but there are four others who were here when Tom and I opened the chapter fifty years ago: Dumbledore, Sprout, McGonagall, and Hagrid.”</p>
<p>Hermione’s mouth fell open. She couldn’t believe so many professors knew about the Chamber and had said nothing.</p>
<p>“It gets worse,” Myrtle continued upon noticing Hermione’s shocked expression. “Headmaster Dippet put the blame on Hagrid because he’d had some other monster as a pet, and, well, because he was a bigot who didn’t really want a half giant attending Hogwarts anyway. Hagrid was expelled and his wand was snapped, despite all the attempts Tom and I made to try and clear his name.”</p>
<p>Pansy gasped. “But if he’s innocent and Dippet’s gone, why hasn’t anyone done anything to clear Hagrid’s name?”</p>
<p>“Don’t go asking questions like that outside this room,” Myrtle warned them. “And whatever you do, don’t tell anyone on the staff that you know the truth—not even Hagrid. I’ve tried telling people in the past, and they always mysteriously forget. At first I thought it was Headmaster Dippet obliviating people so they wouldn’t know he made a mistake in targeting Hagrid, but he’s been gone for decades.” She lowered her voice until it was nearly a whisper. “I suspect that someone is trying to keep the coverup going.”</p>
<p>“Dumbledore,” Pansy decided with conviction. “Who else would benefit from keeping everyone in the dark like that?”</p>
<p>“As long as the story was shrouded in controversy, he’d be able to get away with pinning it on Slytherin students,” Hermione realized, her stomach twisting from dread and disgust. Were there any lengths he wouldn’t go to just to vilify Dark wizards?</p>
<p>Hermione and Pansy stayed to talk to Myrtle for a little while longer, but the sense of unease never went away. She couldn’t shake the suspicion that something far more sinister was at play than she had initially expected. That the attacks on muggle-borns were being staged to look like Slytherin’s monster had been expected, but learning that someone—or perhaps even several someones—were preventing the truth about Myrtle’s death was terrifying. Hermione half feared she’d encounter the business end of an <i>Obliviate</i> the moment she left the restroom.</p>
<p>“What are we going to do?” she asked Pansy as they made their way back to their dormitories. “We have to tell someone about what really happened back then.”</p>
<p>“We take it to the press, of course,” Pansy said with such finality that Hermione had no choice but to agree. “My mother is the editor of <i>Witch Weekly</i>, and while a story like this wouldn’t exactly fit in a publication like that, she’s got plenty of friends over at the <i>Daily Prophet</i> who would kill for a scoop like this one.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Grimmauld Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>winter break has arrived. the most ancient and noble house of black as an impromptu family reunion at grimmauld place. there's a lot of fire and sledgehammers involved.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. fucking fight me jo<br/>2. my version of every member of the black family is better than anything rowling's mind could fathom</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione and Pansy had spread Myrtle’s story about the Chamber of Secrets—as well as her warning not to tell any of the professors on staff—to their entire friend group by the following morning. They’d all decided to keep the information to themselves for the time being, at least until Pansy could talk to her mother about getting an investigative journalist involved. After all, they didn’t want to end up Obliviated like everyone else who’d ever gotten involved.</p><p>Hydrus and Hermione had decided that, when all of this was over and the attacker had been apprehended, they would explore the Chamber like their father and Aunt Lily had. It was a part of their family legacy that both of them desperately wished to experience. Hermione was enamored by the idea of exploring a legendary aspect of wizarding history, while Hydrus cared more about the familial connection. Both, though, agreed that their first trip was too sacred a voyage to share with anyone else—except perhaps Dade since it was his family legacy just as much as it was theirs.</p><p>The promise of someday seeing the Chamber helped the twins get through their end of term exams without completely giving into stress, and, before they knew it, winter break had arrived. Hydrus could hardly contain his excitement at having a family to go home to for the holidays this year. Not only would this be his first holiday as part of a family, but it was also his first ever Yule. The Malfoys were traditionalists who stuck to the old holidays, and if Yule was anything like Samhain had been, Hydrus could understand why. He had a feeling that, even though this meant he’d never have a proper Christmas, he’d quickly come to prefer Yule.</p><p>However, with Yule and the rest of winter break came his father’s upcoming reemergence into the wizarding world. He planned to attend the first Wizengamot session of the new year, where Uncle Lucius would formally introduce him as both Lord Gaunt and Lord Slytherin.</p><p>Father had assured Hydrus several times that everything would be fine, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that Dumbledore would move against him the moment Uncle Lucius finished the introduction. Dumbledore might have lost his Chief Warlock position, but he still had sway as head of the Dumbledore family and proxy for several other Light families. He had just enough power to still be a threat, and Hydrus couldn’t help but worry about his father’s safety around the man.</p><p>Another complication of his father stepping into the public sphere was that everyone would discover the slightly amended story of Hydrus and Hermione’s true parentage. The Hogwarts rumor mill had been bad enough when the news had come out that the two of them were the Lestrange twins. The bombshell that they were Voldemort’s “grandchildren” was sure to turn the school into a war zone. </p><p>Hydrus and Hermione had decided it was for the best to inform their closest friends before the news got out. Draco, Pansy, and Theo already knew due to familial and Death Eater ties, but the rest had no idea. And so, as hard as it was to find the bravery to tell everyone else, they knew their friends deserved nothing less than hearing it from them instead of the <i>Daily Prophet</i>.</p><p>Blaise had been surprised, but he hadn’t reacted negatively since his mother, while not a marked Death Eater, was sympathetic to the Dark. The Weasley twins had, according to Hermione, thought the whole thing was hysterical and congratulated her on managing to keep it under wraps for as long as she did. But perhaps the strangest reaction came from Neville. He’d simply shrugged and admitted that his gran had already told him. Apparently Uncle Lucius had already introduced their father to Regent Longbottom after they’d run into one another in Diagon Alley.</p><p>Hydrus sucked in a shaky breath. Hermione had already gone off to break the news to Padma, and it was up to him to tell Ron. It wasn’t that Hydrus was particularly worried about Ron reacting poorly to the news, not when he’d been so supportive about his proving to be a Lestrange the previous year. Instead, he was worried that his friend would take it hard that Hydrus had technically being lying to him this whole time. Ron was honest to a fault—often tripping over his own tongue as the too blunt truths fell from his mouth—and didn’t take kindly to being deceived. Hydrus feared that Ron would take the deception personally and refuse to listen to the reasons why he had to be kept in the dark as long as he had.</p><p>“Ron, can I talk to you for a minute?” Hydrus asked as they made their way into an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. His heart was beating so hard and so fast that he worried it might launch itself into his throat.</p><p>“Sure, mate,” Ron easily agreed.</p><p>Hydrus shut the compartment door. He could always use his twin link to Hermione and the rest of their friends know where they were sitting once he’d finished his conversation with Ron.</p><p>Ron arched a curious eyebrow. “You alright?” he asked.</p><p>“I’m fine,” Hydrus assured him. “It’s just… well, I figured it was best to have some privacy for this.”</p><p>“Go on then,” Ron said slowly, his growing concern clear on his face.</p><p>Hydrus made an attempt at a steadying breath that didn’t make him feel any better. “Okay,” he began, forcing his voice to sound calm. “So, over break, some news is going to come out about my family. It’s kind of big, and I wanted to tell you in person so you wouldn’t find out from the <i>Prophet</i>.”</p><p>“Oh!” Ron let out a long sigh of relief. “Is this about how Dade’s Uncle Marvolo is your real father?”</p><p>Hydrus’ breath caught in his chest. “How did you—”</p><p>“It was obvious, wasn’t it?” Ron said with a shrug. “I mean, everyone knows that the Gaunts are the only family in Britain who speak Parseltongue, and then all of a sudden you’re living with the Malfoys <i>and</i> this mysterious Marvolo Gaunt bloke.”</p><p>“Oh,” was all Hydrus could think to say.</p><p>He hadn’t realized people might be able to put the clues together so easily. Then again, Ron was far more observant than most gave him credit for. No one else had figured it out on their own.</p><p>Either oblivious to or simply ignoring Hyrus’ shock, Ron continued with his explanation. “To be honest, mate, I’ve been living under the assumption that you and Hermione must’ve had some Gaunt ancestry ever since I learned you were parselmouths.”</p><p>“Oh,” Hydrus said again, still too stunned to think of a coherent response.</p><p>“You know you don’t have to hide stuff like that from me, right? I’m not about to judge you over who your family is.” A wry smile spread across Ron’s lips. “Not when I’ve already come to terms with you being related to Draco Malfoy of all people.”</p><p>Hydrus snorted. Given how well Draco and Ron got along now, he often forgot that the two hadn’t at all liked each other when they’d first met on the Hogwarts Express.</p><p>“I didn’t exactly want to keep it from you,” Hydrus admitted to his friend, his shock finally beginning to subside. “Father was just worried that people finding out might force him to enter public life before he was ready.”</p><p>“So he’s making some grand announcement over break then?” Ron asked, sounding genuinely curious.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s being introduced at the first Wizengamot session of the new year.” Wincing, he added: “But there’s more. Father is Voldemort’s son.”</p><p>Even though it was true on paper, it hurt Hydrus not to tell his friend this half lie. But his father had decided he was going to keep his new identity even after Dumbledore was out of the picture, so this was the official story that they were all meant to stick with for the rest of their lives.</p><p>Ron’s eyes bulged so big that Hydrus worried they might pop out of his skull. “You’re You Know Who’s grandson?”</p><p>Hydrus nodded.</p><p>“I mean, I figured you had to be related to him somehow because he was also a parselmouth,” Ron said, quickly recovering, “but I thought he’d be a great uncle or something. Honestly, the idea of You Know Who having a family is super weird to think about. He doesn’t really seem the type, you know?”</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t help it; he laughed. The archvillain caricature of Voldemort that he’d been taught about during his introduction to the wizarding world awkwardly holding a baby—an image that he could practically feel emanating from Ron’s mind—was both off-putting and hilarious.</p><p>“Sorry,” Hydrus told his friend between laughs. “You’re right. It’s just really funny to think about.” He elected not to mention that it was Ron who had done all the thinking, and his far too open mind that practically forced the entertaining image into Hydrus’ head.</p><p>Ron began chuckling as well. “It is, isn’t it?”</p><p>Just like that, all of Hydrus’ worries that his friend might reject him or be angry about the deceit melted away. He’d had nothing to fear after all. Ron wasn’t the type throw away their friendship over something like that, nor was he the type to blame people for their family name. This was just further confirmation of what Ron had already proved the previous year.</p><p>They were still breathless with laughter and holding onto each other for support by the time Draco and Hermione caught up with them. Draco had looked mildly concerned for their sanity, and that concern only grew when Ron tried—and failed miserably—to explain why they were laughing so hard. Half snorted comments about “You Know Who” and “Does he even know how to swaddle a baby?” really didn’t do much to help their cause.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>The rest of the train ride to King’s Cross Station was mostly uneventful. Draco had spent ages talking about the Malfoy family’s Yule traditions, the gala they held shortly before the holiday, and his plots against Dumbledore—which he was now moving forward with almost entirely for Justin’s sake. Ever the strategist, Ron had offered up a number of ideas for moves against Dumbledore that Draco had listened to with increasing eagerness.<p>Hermione, meanwhile, pulled out several books on Salazar Slytherin, magical serpents, and Founders’ history and began researching for more information about the chamber at a ruthless pace. It was both fascinating and terrifying to watch the way she tore through each volume with such speed that it shouldn’t be possible for her to absorb the information. If it weren’t for her periodically updating Hydrus on her search through their shared mental link, he might’ve suspected she was simply flipping pages without so much as looking at the content they contained.</p><p><i>Did you know basilisks have multiple eyelids to control the level of damage their gaze inflicts?</i> she had asked at once point.</p><p><i>No</i>, Hydrus had replied, both surprised and impressed that basilisks weren’t the mindless killing machines he’d assumed they were. <i>It makes sense, though.</i></p><p>Hermione had given a noncommittal hum, just quiet enough that it didn’t interrupt Draco and Ron’s plotting, and then resumed her reading.</p><p>Once they arrived at the station, they traded Ron for Dade. Ginny feigned disappointment with said trade, insisting that they could keep her brother. Fred and George had even offered to dye Ron’s hair blonde and try passing him off for a Malfoy if they would just take him with them for the holiday. Ron, to his credit, gave it as good as he got, joking that he’d make for a great Malfoy now that he’d spent so much time with Slytherins and imitating Draco’s accent to prove his point. Unfortunately, all their fun came to an end when Percy overheard their barter and scolded them for their behavior.</p><p>Hydrus and his family split from the Weasleys shortly after that, and searched for Aunt Narcissa in the crowd of reuniting families. They found her standing next to a familiar looking woman with long, curly brown hair, a heart-shaped face, and steel gray eyes. The two were speaking animatedly about something, causing the brunette to clasp Aunt Narcissa’s shoulder and laugh heartily, which in turn made Aunt Narcissa smile.</p><p>“That must be Aunt Andromeda,” Hermione said as they made their way over to Aunt Narcissa’s side. “After all, she looks just like our mother but with lighter hair and darker eyes.”</p><p>Remembering the picture of all three Black sister that Aunt Narcissa had showed them over the summer, Hydrus was inclined to agree. Both their mother and Aunt Andromeda bore a strong resemblance to the Black family, while Aunt Narcissa’s pale features came from her mother’s side of the family.</p><p>“Ah, there you all are,” Aunt Narcissa greeted them warmly. “There’s been a slight change of plans for today. Sirius is in the middle of redecorating one of the Black family ancestral homes, and he thought you all might like to help. We’ll be joining him for the rest of the day, and possibly overnight if enough rooms are inhabitable by then. Your Aunt Andromeda—” she gestured to the woman beside her “—has kindly agreed to help me side-along apparate all of you there.”</p><p>Hermione looked quite pleased with herself for having correctly guessed the identity of the curly haired woman.</p><p>“It’s wonderful to finally meet you all in person,” Aunt Andromeda said, “though I daresay Cissa has told me enough stories that I feel as if I already know you.”</p><p>Once they finished introductions, Aunt Narcissa stated: “Alright, let’s get going. We have an impromptu Black family reunion to get to, and we don’t want to keep Sirius waiting any longer than necessary.”</p><p>Dade paled at Aunt Narcissa’s choice of words. “Is it okay for me to be there?” he asked hesitantly. “I mean, it’s not like I’m part of the Black family. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”</p><p>Hydrus felt a pang of sympathy for his cousin. He remembered feeling much the same so many times during his years with the Dursleys. It was an awful sensation, feeling like an outsider in one’s own family.</p><p>“Nonsense. You won’t be intruding at all,” Aunt Andromeda replied, a strong sense of finality in her voice. “You live with my sister, and you’re my niece and nephew’s cousin. That makes you a part of this family, even if it isn’t by blood.”</p><p>Dade didn’t seem entirely convinced, but he remained silent and allowed Aunt Narcissa to apparate away with him and Draco. </p><p>Aunt Andromeda took hold of Hydrus and Hermione’s hands. “Have the two of you ever side-along apparated before?” </p><p>Hermione nodded while Hydrus replied, “Unfortunately.”</p><p>“That bad, huh?” Aunt Andromeda asked with a chuckle. “Bella was always the same way. Apparating on her own was fine, but you’d think she was being tortured with the way she carried on about being side-alonged somewhere.”</p><p>Without further warning, Aunt Andromeda apparated them out of King’s Cross Station and into someplace that was quite dark. Hydrus and Hermione both stumbled, dizzy and disoriented, as they tried to take in their new surroundings. Out of the corner of his eye, Hydrus could see that Dade was in much the same shape as them, while Draco looked relatively unaffected by the journey.</p><p>“We’ll leave you all to explore. Either an adult or a house elf will summon you for dinner later,” Aunt Narcissa informed the children before she and Aunt Andromeda disappeared down the corridor.</p><p>Finally beginning to recover from the after-effects of apparating, Hydrus began to take in his surroundings. The corridor he found himself in was poorly lit, with dark flooring and wallpaper of colors he couldn’t quite determine due to the lack of light. The air was still and stale, and it tasted faintly of dust, decay, and Dark magic. Hydrus couldn’t help but wonder if this was what it was like to be buried alive.</p><p>“No wonder Sirius wants to redecorate,” Draco decided, giving the dingy, dark wallpaper a disapproving frown. “This place is far too dark and depressing for anyone to live in.”</p><p>Hermione hummed in agreement. “I feel like I’m trapped in a sarcophagus.” </p><p>Before Hydrus could voice his own assessment of the place, a young woman with short, bubblegum pink hair appeared at the other end of the corridor. “Cousins!” she shouted, a huge grin on her face.</p><p>She ran toward them at full speed—only to trip over an umbrella stand and narrowly avoid falling flat on her face. She recovered from the stumble quickly, but she slowed her pace to a jog for the rest of her journey down the corridor.</p><p>“It’s so exciting to finally meet you. Sirius and Aunt Cissa told me so much about you four,” the pink haired woman gushed, her face alight with giddiness. “Oh, but where are my manners? I’m your cousin Tonks.”</p><p>The four twelve year olds introduced themselves to this new cousin of theirs. Hydrus couldn’t help but chuckle when, upon informing them of her metamorphmagus ability, Tonks transfigured her mouth and nose into a duck bill. Even funnier was when Hermione responded by mimicking Tonks’ entire appearance—including the duck bill—which caused Tonks to laugh so hard that she had to hold onto the wall for support lest she fall over from lack of air.</p><p>“That was brilliant!” Tonks told Hermione once she’d calmed down enough to turn her mouth back to a human one. “It took me ages to get the hang of full body shifts like that. Granted, I mostly used it to get in trouble, so it was probably for the best that it took me as long as it did.”</p><p>“Get in trouble how?” Hermione asked as innocently as possible, although it was quite clear by Tonks’ expression that she didn’t buy it for a moment.</p><p>“I used to shift into different professors to mess with people,” she explained anyway. “Dumbledore was a fan favorite. Nothing quite like going up to unsuspecting students and saying something half cracked while wearing the headmaster’s face.</p><p>“My best work, though, was this one time when Professor Snape got called to the Hospital Wing for an emergency, and I decided to take over the lesson as him. It wasn’t until I said something wrong about fluxweed that he decided to announce his return by saying ‘Is that so, Professor Snape?’” She had to pause while everyone laughed, including her. “He ended up only taking five points for the whole thing, and even then it was just because my lecture hadn’t been accurate.” </p><p>“What’s this I hear about pranking Snape?” called out the familiar voice of Sirius from down the hall.</p><p>Tonks grimaced and shouted: “Nothing!”</p><p>“You better not be corrupting those kids!” Sirius shouted back. “That’s my job!”</p><p>Hydrus snickered at that. It reminded him of how Sirius had told him over the summer that even though he’d technically been made godfather to the Potters’ son, he still promised to be the bad influence to Hydrus that every godfather ought to be.</p><p>Sirius poked his head out from one of the doorways. “Hey, pups!” he greeted them with a huge grin. “Welcome to Grimmauld Place. Why don’t you step into my office? It’s the first one I’ve ever had, and I’ve always wanted to say that. It sounds very mature of me, doesn’t it?”</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Hydrus and the others made their way to Sirius’ office. It was far nicer in there than in the corridor, with plenty of lighting and tastefully elegant oak furniture that Hydrus was sure had been picked out by Aunt Narcissa. The walls had been painted a deep burgundy, save for one shimmering accent wall that looked like molten gold.</p><p>Upon closer inspection, it was clear that Sirius was now much healthier than he had over the summer. His frame had grown less skeletal and his hair had become shinier from the nutrient potions he’d been taking ever since his release from Azkaban. He seemed calmer as well, or at least less on edge, though there was still a manic spark in his gray eyes—something Hydrus doubted would ever fully go away.</p><p>“I’d like to introduce you all to my poor, long-suffering partner Remus Lupin,” he announced, gesturing to a lanky man with sandy brown hair who had been sitting at the desk, scribbling something down at a rapid pace. “Remus, meet my niece Hermione and my nephews Hydrus, Draco, and Daedalus.”</p><p>Remus looked up at the children—revealing three long, jagged scars that marred the left side of his face—and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Hermione, Draco, and Daedalus.” His breath hitched when his tawny eyes met Hydrus’. “Hydrus, it’s good to see you again.”</p><p>Hydrus didn’t know how the man knew him and certainly didn’t recognize him, but given his closeness to Sirius, he assumed Remus must have known him back when he was being raised by the Potters. </p><p>“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Lupin,” Hermione said, saving Hydrus from having to deal with a potentially emotional moment in front of everyone.</p><p>Remus shook his head. “Please, Remus is fine.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “Or Moony, if you like.”</p><p>“Moony?” Hermione repeated. Her voice had gone a bit strange, almost like she’d recognized the nickname.</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t help but arch a curious eyebrow at his sister.</p><p> <i>I’ll explain later</i>, she assured him.</p><p>“Oh, I get it!” Dade declared. “It’s because your name comes from the legend of Remus and Romulus, the founders of Rome who were said to get their aggressiveness from having been raised by a she-wolf.”</p><p>Hydrus stared at his cousin, feeling both shocked and impressed. He’d never heard of Remus and Romulus before, and, due to their shared history, he hadn’t expected Dade of all people to be the one to inform him of the legend.</p><p>“Did you know most scholars believe they were the first documented werewolves in Europe?” Dade continued, which explained how he knew about it. Hydrus was well aware of his cousin’s obsession with Dark creatures. “But because of conflicting accounts of how in control they were around the full moon, it’s hard to know for sure if lunar madness is an inherent trait of the European strain of lycanthropy or if it developed later.”</p><p>“I can honestly say I didn’t know any of that outside of the legend,” Remus admitted, looking both wary and intrigued. “I wasn’t even aware that there were different strains of lycanthropy.”</p><p>Dade nodded sagely. “Yes, well, the study comparing the differences in each strain was fairly well covered up here in Britain—at least according to Professor Snape. He only knew it about it because the study was published in some American potions journal he reads. The authors were trying to figure out why American werewolves don’t respond to the Wolfsbane Potion and ended up discovering a lot more than they’d expected to.” Realizing that everyone in the room was staring at him in shocked silence, he mumbled, “Sorry for rambling. I just think this kind of stuff is neat.”</p><p>“We’re not bothered by it, Dade. Honest,” Hydrus assured him. “We’re just impressed is all.”</p><p>“Yeah, it’s brilliant you know about all of that,” Draco agreed. </p><p>The tips of Dade’s ears went pink. “It’s not a big deal, really. It—”</p><p>“Is an impressive level of understanding for such a complex topic,” Remus cut him off gently, “especially given your young age.”</p><p>“Oh,” was all Dade managed to say.</p><p>As soon as the following silence started to become awkward, Sirius said, “Now that we’re all aware that Dade here knows more about werewolves than probably any other person in Britain—” he shot Dade a sly grin, which only made Dade’s ears go redder “—who wants to hear what we’re doing with this hellhole masquerading as a house?”</p><p>“Please, by all means,” Remus drawled, a playful smirk ghosting across his lips, “tell the children about your love of destruction and your firestarter tendencies.”</p><p>Sirius put a hand to his heart and let out an overly dramatic gasp. “You wound me, Moony! Making me sound like some half-crazed criminal when I’m just trying to do a little home improvement!”</p><p>“Just tell the kids what you’re doing with the house, you dork-ass loser,” Remus told him with a chuckle.</p><p>Sirius stuck his tongue at Remus, who rolled his eyes at his childishness. Putting his tongue back in his mouth and turning to the children, Sirius explained: “When I became Lord Black, I became master of the entire Black estate—including this awful place. This is where I grew up, and unfortunately, I had the most insane member of the entire family for a mother.</p><p>“You see, my mother was a blood purist nutter and my father didn’t have enough of a backbone to tell her to lay off. She was an extremist even for the House of Black, and that’s saying something.” He grimaced, as if remembering something awful about the woman. “She took the family motto of ‘Toujours Pur’ far too literally, and became convinced I was going to poison our family’s perfect pure blood with traitorous ideologies and muggle relations simply for being sorted into Gryffindor. I can’t say I have a single happy memory of this place.”</p><p>While Hydrus couldn’t relate to the blood purity aspect of Sirius’ upbringing, he could empathize with being the odd one out. Ten years as the freak of the Dursley household, constantly accused of tainting their normal lives with his evil, freaky magic, had taught him well enough what horrors were borne of the fear of narrow-minded individuals.</p><p>“When I first learned that I now owned the place, I was content to let it rot,” Sirius admitted, “but then my mind healer suggested I try something a bit more constructive. She explained that, for some people, cleaning out and revamping their homes after experiencing a traumatic event helps them find closure. So naturally, I decided to give it a go.” He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. “I ended up bribing Cissa and Andi with wine so they’d over to start clearing things out, and the next thing I knew, we were two bottles into the evening and had set fire to all my parents’ old clothes.</p><p>“We’re a little more organized in our game plan now, though,” Sirius assured him with a wink. “I’ve always had a love of fire magic, so today’s goal is to find all the cursed and otherwise malicious artefacts on the ground floor and chuck them into the cleansing fire I’ve started in the sitting room. Once they’re no longer dangerous, we’ll decide if we actually want to keep any of them or if they ought to be incinerated in a regular fire.”</p><p>Draco’s eyes went wide with excitement. “You know how to create a cleansing fire?” he asked, practically bouncing on his heels. “I read that they can break some of the nastiest curses out there without causing any lasting damage to the vessel housing the curse.”</p><p>“But aren’t they terribly dangerous?” Hermione pointed out, though she looked just as excited as Draco. “They might not be quite as ravenous as fiendfyre, but they can be nearly as destructive if you’re not careful.”</p><p>“I’ll have you know that I’m the epitome of carefulness,” Sirius lied grandly, sending the entire room into a fit of laughter. Frowning in mock offense, he admitted, “Alright, alright. I have real adults like Cissa, Andi, and Remus here to make sure the cleansing fire doesn’t go out control.”</p><p>That admission only made Hydrus laugh harder. His honorary godfather was perhaps the most reckless person he’d ever met, but the man at least seemed to marginally aware of that fact. It didn’t make him any less endearing, though. If anything, Hydrus had a feeling that it was a good portion of Sirius’ effortless charm.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Cleaning up Grimmauld Place proved to be a far more entertaining and far more perilous adventure than Hydrus expected. Everyone involved in the search for cursed artefacts had to wear special protective gloves on the off chance that they picked up something both active and malicious. Quite a number of the curses had long since failed, their casters’ deaths either weakening or entirely collapsing the complex Dark magic they’d been drenched in. But for those that had staying power, the need for precautions was entirely necessary. Hydrus learned that well enough the moment he’d thrown a vase into the cleansing fire and heard it start screaming.<p>Unfortunately, not everything that cursed or otherwise haunted the house could be destroyed through magical means. Hydrus’ father, along with Uncle Lucius and Ursa, had ventured into the muggle world to acquire a number of muggle tools that would aid in the cleansing of Grimmauld Place. Hydrus wasn’t entirely sure what they’d need with a sledgehammer, an aluminum baseball bat, an assorted variety of knives, and several containers of gasoline, but he wasn’t about to question it. He trusted the adults when they assured him it was for something fun he’d get to see after dinner.</p><p>That trust quickly paid off. After they’d had diner as a family, complete with swapping stories and laughter and Sirius and Tonks throwing dinner rolls at each other, they made their way to the sitting room where the portrait of Sirius’ nightmare of a mother resided.</p><p>Great Aunt Walburga Black had been a horrible person while alive, and she’d done everything in her power to ensure she’d be just as awful after she died. She’d had an enchanted portrait of herself hung up on the wall with a permanent sticking charm just so she could shout slurs and other obscenities at anyone who passed by. Her favorite target were Uncle Ted and Tonks due to their so-called inferior blood statuses, but she was just as content to hurl insults at Sirius, Remus, and anyone who stood up for the others.</p><p>Hydrus’ father harbored his own personal hatred for Great Aunt Walburga. The banshee of a woman had been two years behind him at Hogwarts and had never passed up an opportunity to shout to everyone who would listen about how disgusting she thought it was that pureblood Slytherins thought so highly of a halfblood like Tom Marvolo Riddle. She hadn’t actually been a threat to Father’s power, but he’d still despised her and everyone else who harbored such sentiments. As far as he was concerned, it was people like her who gave Dark witches and wizards a bad name.</p><p>And so, when the entire family found themselves standing in front of Great Aunt Walburga’s portrait, no one was particularly surprised that her face twisted in revulsion when she’d spotted Hydrus’ father among them.</p><p>“Riddle,” she spat, acting as if the very utterance of a muggle surname disgusted her.</p><p>“Walburga,” Father greeted the portrait, his voice so icy that Hydrus half expected frost to form on the walls. “It was such a shame to hear you died of natural causes. I’d always hoped someone would gut you like the cow you were.”</p><p>Great Aunt Walburga bared her teeth like a feral animal. “How dare you speak to me like that in my own home, you filthy half breed!”</p><p>“Oh but this isn’t your home anymore, now it, Walburga?” Father taunted her. Murder danced in his crimson eyes, and, not for the first time, Hydrus could understand how some people might be a bit intimidated by his father. “Your son Sirius is the new Lord Black, and as such, this place and everything else in the name of Black belongs to him.”</p><p>“THAT UNWORTHY, DISGUSTING TRAITOR TO THE MOST ANCIENT AND NOBLE—”</p><p>“<i>Langlock</i>!” </p><p>Hydrus whipped his head around to see Aunt Narcissa sliding her wand back into her wrist holster. “She was getting on my nerves,” was her simple explanation. “And none of you children ought to try that spell. It’s quite dangerous.”</p><p>The portrait of Great Aunt Walburga had fallen silent, though not still. She tried to continue on with her tirade, but all that came of it was choking sounds and an increasingly red face. She was shaking with rage, which, combined with her deepening flush, gave off the impression that she was about to explode.</p><p>“Now that the harpy is finally silent…” Father drawled as he picked up the sledgehammer. “A permanent sticking charm might be able to withstand magical attempts at destruction, but they’re notoriously weak to muggle means.” </p><p>The portrait of Great Aunt Walburga protested, or rather, she tried to. She had taken on the characteristics of a caged animal, thrashing about and trying to come off as a greater threat than she was.</p><p>“Would you like to do the honors, Lord Black?” Father asked, offering the sledgehammer to Sirius.</p><p>Sirius’ lips spread into a manic grin as he took the sledgehammer in hand. “Why, Lord Slytherin, it would be my pleasure.” He barked out a half-crazed laugh. “You know, this place could do with a few less walls. Open floor plans are all the rage right now, or so Narcissa tells me.”</p><p>“It’s true,” Aunt Narcissa readily agreed, an amused smirk gracing her lips when she saw her aunt’s portrait pale from fear.</p><p>As Hydrus watched Sirius hack at the wall that housed his mother’s portrait—the rest of of the Black family cheering and whooping excitedly with each chunk of drywall that fell to floor—an overwhelming sense of belonging washed over him. His family wasn’t perfect, not by any stretch of the imagination. They were Dark and dangerous and just a little bit unhinged. But they were <i>his</i>, and as far as he was concerned, there could be nothing better than that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Yule Gala</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>hydrus hears more than he bargained for at the malfoys' annual yule gala</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i don't own harry potter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the day of the Malfoy family’s annual Yule Gala, and Hydrus was terrified. He had no experience with events in general—much less formal events that required proper etiquette and dress robes—and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was about to embarrass himself and his entire family the moment the gala began. What if he accidentally offended someone? Started a blood feud? Alienated the Minister of Magic? He had no idea <i>how</i> he might end up doing any of that, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility.</p><p>“Honestly, Hydrus, you’re being ridiculous. It’s just a party,” Hermione admonished him for what must have been the hundredth time that day.</p><p>Hermione looked every bit the part of an elegant heiress on her way to a gala. She knew very little about dresses and fashion, so she had allowed Aunt Narcissa to dress her up in a modest navy blue gown with sheer, loose sleeves and embroidered silver flowers decorating the flowy skirt. Her long, black curls had been gathered into an elaborate chignon adorned with delicate silver hairpins. It was only the fact that she was sitting at the foot of Hydrus’ bed with a bored expression that ruined the image of perfection that Aunt Narcissa had worked so hard on.</p><p>Hydrus’ dress robes, on the other hand, had been a joint effort by his father and Uncle Lucius. They had both wanted to emphasize his role as Heir Slytherin in a tasteful, understated way. There had been a number of disagreements as to what constituted as tasteful, but in the end, Hydrus had been given emerald green open style robes with shining silver clasps, a formal black shirt, and black trousers. The outfit itself was incredible. Hydrus just didn’t think he deserved to be wearing something so nice, and worried that his uncertain self ruined the overall look.</p><p>He looked at himself in the mirror yet again and groaned. Why didn’t his sister get it? “But there’s going to be important people there,” he stressed. “I don’t know how to talk to important people.”</p><p>“You talk to Father, Sirius, and Uncle Lucius all the time,” Hermione reminded him. “They’re all important because of their lordships, and you never get all weird about it like you are now.”</p><p>“That’s different. They’re family.”</p><p>Hermione pursed her lips. “Fine. Let’s try looking at it a different way. Were you this nervous when you first met your professors last year?”</p><p>“Well, no, but—”</p><p>“Then act like they’re all just new professors,” Hermione suggested, looking at him as though she thought it was the easier and most obvious solution in the entire world. “It’s not like you’ve ever gotten on a professor’s bad side, except for that idiot Lockhart, so it’s not as if you have absolutely no manners or don’t know when to present yourself in a respectful manner.”</p><p>Hydrus wanted to argue that his sister’s plan was easier said than done, but the arched eyebrow he received just for opening his mouth convinced him to remain silent on the matter.</p><p>The twins finished their pre-gala preparations under a silent agreement to talk about anything and everything except the gala itself. Keeping his mind occupied rather than allowing thoughts to linger on his worries helped a considerable amount in easing his anxiety. After all, it was hard to worry about etiquette and first impressions while discussing things like homework, basilisks, and the Chamber of Secrets.</p><p>As soon as they were ready and started descending down the marble staircase that led to the ballroom, though, Hydrus’ anxiety flared back up. He remembered all those attempts the Dursleys had made to suck up to important people (as well as their attempts to hide his existence from those people), and he knew for a fact he didn’t have the stomach to act like that—not that he thought that it was expected. The only problem was that, no matter how many times others tried to explain it to him, he really didn’t know what to expect at all.</p><p>“Are the two of you ready for your first proper Malfoy gala?”</p><p>Hydrus snapped out of his worries to see Draco jogging down the stairs to catch up with them. Draco had been styled in an entirely silver ensemble that matched his pale eyes. It might’ve made him look angelic if Hydrus wasn’t already aware that his personality didn’t at all match that particular adjective. Pale blues and silvers and even white were the unofficial colors of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy, a subtle nod to their French veela ancestry that most of the old-fashioned purebloods preferred to ignore.</p><p>Creature blood, though technically magical, was still seen by a number of British elite as something that dirtied otherwise pure lines. The French, according to Uncle Lucius, made no such distinctions. His own mother had been half veela and half wizard, which, under French classifications, made her just as much of a pureblood as her father had been. The Malfoy family had been exploiting the more lenient French definitions of what constituted a pureblood for ages in order to protect themselves from the weakening magical power and increased likelihood of squibs that was borne from excessive intermarriage. No one dared call them out on it.</p><p>“I see you’ve got your family colors on as well,” Draco continued, a wry grin on his face. “You’ll notice tonight that a a number of families don’t do that anymore, at least not after the children have been properly introduced. We’re just a bit more… traditional than most.”</p><p>“Oh, good,” came Hermione’s sarcastic reply. “I’ve always wanted my color palette to be determined by my surname.”</p><p>Hydrus shrugged. “The colors do suit us, though,” he conceded. Besides, he quite liked his green outer rob. He might’ve even picked it for himself if he’d been given the choice.</p><p>“Still,” Hermione huffed, “I’d like to have options.”</p><p>“Having options would imply actually putting effort into all of this,” Draco said with a grimace. “Isn’t it bad enough we have to make small talk with a bunch of stuffy adults? I can’t imagine having to do all that <i>and</i> pick out a proper outfit for it.”</p><p>Hydrus nodded in agreement. He was certain he’d have made a fool of himself if he’d tried to pick out his own outfit for the gala. Perhaps in a few years he’d have a better idea of what he ought to wear to these sorts of things, but right now he was grateful for now that the burden of putting together his ensemble fell to the adults in his family.</p><p>Hermione must have sensed what he was thinking because she turned to him, exasperated, and told him, “It’s not a big deal. They’re just adults. And besides, you’ll barely have to talk to them at all after the initial introductions. It isn’t as if they’d prefer to spend their evening interrogating a twelve year old, you know.”</p><p>“She has a point,” Draco agreed, though he didn’t seem particularly happy about it. From what Hydrus had seen over the past few days, his cousin was even less thrilled about the prospect of dealing with the adults at the gala than he was.</p><p>“That she does,” Sirius concurred as he joined them on the stairs. He looked both effortlessly cool and entirely out of place, wearing leather boots and a black muggle suit with a Metallica shirt under his unbuttoned jacket. “I don’t know what we’re talking about, but whatever it is, I agree with Hermione. She always seems to be right about everything, though I’m not entirely sure I want to know how she does it.”</p><p>“Hydrus is worried that he’s going to embarrass himself in font of important adults,” Hermione informed him.</p><p>Sirius shook his head. “Hydrus, don’t be ridiculous. You’re not going to embarrass yourself in front of anyone. That sort of thing is your father’s job, just like it’s up to Lucius and Cissa to embarrass Draco. And, now that I think of it, that’s my job as well.” As if to emphasize his point, he ruffled both Draco and Hydrus’ hair, garnering protests from both boys.</p><p>Once Draco finished whining about his ruined hair, the four of them finished their journey to the ballroom where the rest of the family was already waiting for them. Aunt Narcissa was fussing over Ursa’s powder blue dress, while Uncle Lucius, Father, Remus, and Dade were all talking animatedly about wanting to improve the standing of humanoid and otherwise mostly human creatures in Wizarding Britain. Dade didn’t contribute much to the legal aspects of the conversation—except to occasionally voice how unfair he found the current laws—but he seemed to know the most out of all of them when it came to sorting the truths from the myths about each creature they mentioned. </p><p>“What in Merlin’s name are you wearing, Sirius?”Aunt Narcissa asked as soon as she spotted him, shaking her head disapprovingly at her cousin.</p><p>“A suit,” Sirius replied with a crooked grin, knowing full well that it wasn’t the suit Aunt Narcissa was referring to.</p><p>Aunt Narcissa pursed her lips. “Yes, with some sort of… muggle loungewear underneath.” Before she could finish voicing her displeasure, though, the floo chimed. “I suppose it’s too late to tell you to change now, seeing as our first guests have just arrived.”</p><p>“Yes, how terrible,” Sirius replied, sounding far, far too pleased with himself. “How will I ever live with the knowledge that everyone will see how cool I am?”</p><p>Remus rolled his eyes at his partner. “Must you antagonize her?” he asked as Uncle Lucius went to answer the floo.</p><p>“Of course I must. That’s what family’s for.”</p><p>“Family or not, I’m not above sending a Stinging Hex your way if you don’t behave,” Aunt Narcissa warned him. She tried to glare at him as if she were being serious, but Hydrus could see it in her eyes that she was just teasing him.</p><p>The sound of footsteps silenced the adults, who quickly donned masks of maturity. Hydrus found it rather funny to see that the adults, just like all the kids in the room, were only ever pretending to act in a respectable, age appropriate way. </p><p>“It seems the Parkinsons have decided to be uncharacteristically punctual this year,” Uncle Lucius said as he brought the family of four into the ballroom.</p><p>Pansy looked more like a Disney princess than a witch, with her hair in a braided bun and dressed in a gauzy, peach hanfu with light blue geometric shapes embroidered into the skirt. Her older sister Peony also wore a hanfu, though it was a pastel blue with silver snowflake embroidery. Behind them were a jovial, dark haired man in simple black dress robes and an elegant looking Asian woman wearing a black ankle-length qipao with bright red piping and the gilded image of a phoenix rising from its ashes stretching along the left side.</p><p>“Pangfua, your designer truly outdid herself this year,” Aunt Narcissa said by way of greeting, openly admiring the dresses donned by Lady Parkinson and her daughters.</p><p>Lady Parkinson looked adoringly at Pansy and Peony. “She did, didn’t she? There aren’t many designers in Britain who are this skilled in traditional Chinese garb, so I think she must be using my family to show off.”</p><p>Aunt Narcissa hummed appreciatively. “I can’t imagine anyone would fault her for that.” Seeming to remember that there were other people in the room, she stated: “Oh, but where are my manners? Pangfua, allow me to introduce you to my cousin Sirius Black, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, as well as his partner Remus Lupin.”</p><p>“Lord Black? I’ve heard a bit about your Wizengamot antics from my husband, but it’s nice to finally meet you in the flesh. Pangfua Parkinson,” Lady Parkinson introduced herself, extending a perfectly manicured hand. “Senior editor for <i>Witch Weekly</i> and, unfortunately, mother of the little hellions better known as Peony and Pansy Parkinson.” She gave both daughters a wink, which earned her matching mock scowls from the two girls.</p><p>Sirius shook the offered hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Lady Parkinson. I hear young Pansy is quite a close friend to my oldest niece and nephews.”</p><p>“From what my daughter says, they all make for such excellent friends,” she said with a genial smile. “But please, none of this Lady Parkinson nonsense. I insist you call me Pangfua.”</p><p>“Only if you call me Sirius.”</p><p>“And you better call me Perseus,” Lord Parkinson replied, wearing a crooked grin as he extended his hand. “How do you feel about a round of shots before all the stiffs get here, eh? I brought a bottle of Ogden’s if you’re interested.”</p><p>Sirius’ face lit up just a little too much to be normal. “Hell yeah I’m up for it! Moony, let’s do shots with Perseus!”</p><p>“I guess one or two shots wouldn’t hurt,” Remus reluctantly agreed as he allowed himself to be dragged away by the other two men.</p><p>Introductions became far more rushed after that, with a great many guests arriving in a short amount of time. Aunt Narcissa had allowed them to wander about after the first dozen or so guests showed up, though they’d had to promise to be polite and greet everyone they encountered during the gala. Aunt Narcissa, however, stayed by the entrance for quite a while longer. According to her, it was terrible manners for a hostess not to say hello to every single guest.</p><p>Hydrus and Hermione’s father had taken the liberty of whisking them away to meet a number of high profile Ministry officials and Wizengamot members. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to meet the mysterious new Lord Slytherin and his children. Even Minister Cornelius Fudge—who, in Hydrus’ opinion, was probably the dumbest person in attendance—could sense the importance of cozying up to a Founder’s heir like Father.</p><p>“I think he’s hoping Father will get rid of Dumbledore for him,” Hermione muttered once Fudge finally finished fawning over their father.</p><p>Hydrus hummed in agreement. “After all that, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if Father got rid of him as well.”</p><p>“I hope he does.”</p><p>After being thrust unceremoniously into several conversations with important adults, Hydrus realized that talking to them wasn’t actually that big of a deal. Rather than ask him complicated questions or watch him like a hawk for any signs of his making a social faux pas like he’d worried, they treated him as some adorable little extension of his father and patted him on the head. It was a bit patronizing if he was being perfectly honest, but it was still much better than he’d expected. Hermione had been right, not that he was about to admit it.</p><p>Eventually, Hydrus and his sister managed to escape the adults and find refuge in a growing congregation of children their own age. Draco, Ursa, Pansy, and Peony had commandeered a table in the adjoining banquet hall and asked the house elves for a few bottles of sparkling grape juice and wine glasses so that they could feel sophisticated. Dade had gone off with Greg and Vince to discuss magizoology with Luna and her father, but the arrival of Theo and Millicent at least partially made up for their absence.</p><p>Their little group grew even bigger when Ursa shrieked, “Tori!”, and abandoning decorum, ran toward a young girl with the same loose, golden curls as Daphne Greengrass—who was standing mere feet away from the scene, watching on with an exasperated expression.  </p><p>“That’s Astoria Greengrass,” Draco informed them as Ursa all but squeezed the life out of the other girl with a too tight hug. “She’s Daphne’s younger sister and Ursa’s best friend. If you ever see her and Ursa together looking like they’re plotting something, run in the opposite direction as fast as you can.”</p><p>“Are you by chance speaking from experience, Draco?” Hermione teased.</p><p>Draco glared at her but replied, “Yes.” He refused to elaborate.</p><p>The arrival of the Greengrass sisters had left Hydrus feeling pleasantly surprised. He’d heard before from Pansy that Daphne wasn’t nearly as icy people claimed, but, due to his own limited interactions with her, he’d assumed Pansy had been greatly overexaggerating the Ice Queen’s capacity for friendliness. The longer she sat with Hydrus and his friends, though, the clearer it became that Daphne used her perfect pureblood mask to cover up the fact that she was painfully shy.</p><p>Astoria was Daphne’s complete opposite. She was warm and outgoing and easy to talk to, thriving on all the attention and new friends at the gala. It was clear why Ursa liked the other girl so much. Even Hydrus, who didn’t have much of anything in common with the nine year old girl, found himself groaning at her puns and laughing at the stories of her and Ursa’s adventures.</p><p>But perhaps the most pleasant surprise of all was when Hydrus spotted the familiar round face of Neville Longbottom. He looked every bit the perfect Gryffindor in his marigold open style robes and burgundy trousers. </p><p>Standing beside him was a severe looking older woman with gray hair peaking out from under a massive hat adorned with a stuffed vulture. Based on what Neville had said of his gran, it was easy to discern that this woman was Regent Longbottom. She looked even more intimidating than the descriptions Hydrus had heard. He imagined she could even scare off the chronically stern and strict Professor McGonagall if she put her mind to it.</p><p>“Neville!” Hydrus called out to his friend. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”</p><p>All the tension in Neville’s posture melted when he saw Hydrus and the other children. “To be honest, I didn’t know either. Gran sort of sprung the whole thing on me last minute,” he admitted as he left his gran’s side to join them at the table.</p><p>“Well we’re glad to have you here, especially me,” Hermione told him with a smile. “It’s so nice to finally have someone else here who isn’t a snake.”</p><p>Pansy pouted. “Oh, come on! We’re not that bad.”</p><p>“What a glowing review,” Daphne snarked.</p><p>“Speaking of snakes,” Neville interrupted, looking around curiously, “where’s Iris?”</p><p>Astoria cocked her head to the side. “Who’s Iris?”</p><p>“My rainbow boa familiar,” Hydrus told her. Addressing Neville, he added: “She’s upstairs with Na—” he stopped himself, not knowing if people had known about Nagini during the first war “—with Father’s snake familiar.”</p><p>“A <i>rainbow</i> boa?” Astoria repeated, a fascinated gleam in her eye.</p><p>Ursa nodded seriously. “Oh, yes. Iris has pretty rainbows that reflect off her scales when she moves.”</p><p>Asoria’s whole face lit up. “Do you I think I could meet her?” she asked Hydrus, doing her best attempt at puppy-dog eyes. “I’ve never seen a rainbow boa before, and she sounds awfully beautiful.”</p><p>“I don’t see why not,” Hydrus said with a shrug. After all, he hadn’t been explicitly told not to bring Iris down to the party. He’d just assumed she didn’t want to attend because Nagini didn’t. “I can go get her now and see if she wants to socialize if you’d like.”</p><p>“Yes, please!” Astoria all but begged.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>After several long minutes of trying to convince Iris that she’d enjoy the party—and finally winning her over by mentioning Pansy’s attendance—Hydrus left his father’s study with Iris draped across his shoulders like a scarf. She kept acting as though she was making some great sacrifice by agreeing to go, but Nagini managed to shut her up by telling Hydrus how she was only making a fuss because she was still mad about not being invited from the very beginning. Apparently, she had taken offense to him going down to the gala without her and decided to be difficult.<p><i>~You should have just told me you wanted to come in the first place,~</i> Hydrus told her as they made their way down the corridor and towards the stairs. <i>~Nagini made it sound like parties were torture for snakes, so I thought I was doing you a favor by not bringing you.~</i></p><p><i>~And you shouldn’t generalize. Not all snakes are the same,~</i> Iris shot back.</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t think of anything to say to that, so he didn’t. She was right. Iris and Nagini might both be snakes, but they were different species and wildly different personalities. Given his familiar’s love of being the center of attention, he should have realized she’d be interested in at least getting a glimpse of the gala.</p><p>Just as Hydrus was about to make his way down the stairs, he heard several voices coming from his Uncle Lucius’ study. He subconsciously cocked his head to the side, confused. Why would anyone be up here? Did Uncle Lucius know there were people in his study? Were they allowed to be up here?</p><p>He crept closer and found that the door had been left ajar. Alarm bells went off in his head. That didn’t seem like a good sign at all. He dared not peer in for fear of being seen, so instead, he pressed himself to the wall and listened in—hoping he could figure out what in the world was going on.</p><p>“I know this isn’t an ideal setting, but it’s imperative that we talk without anyone from the Ministry overhearing,” came a serious female voice.</p><p>“And just what is it that’s so urgent that you needed to pull me away from both the gala and my grandson, Amelia?” asked a strict sounding woman. “Does Lucius know you’re up here?”</p><p>“He does,” the serious woman—Amelia—assured her. “He isn’t aware of the details, but he offered up his study when I mentioned that it involved the Unspeakables.”</p><p>“The Unspeakables? Explain, and quickly.”</p><p>“Augusta,” Amelia said with a heavy sigh. “There’s no easy way to say this, but… the Unspeakables have reason to believe Frank and Alice Longbottom were never subjected to the Cruciatus Curse.”</p><p>Augusta? That was Neville’s grandmother’s name, wasn’t it? And while Hydrus didn’t know Neville’s parents’ first names since his friend didn’t like to talk about them, he couldn’t imagine there were many people called Longbottom who were thought to have been tortured with the Cruciatus Curse. But if it wasn’t the Cruciatus that had left them permanently incapacitated, what had?</p><p>Hydrus wasn’t the only one to wonder that because not a moment later, Regent Longbottom asked: “But— I mean, how can that be? The healer was so certain… What else could have possibly happened to them?”</p><p>“They were victims of an overpowered <i>Obliviate</i>.”</p><p>Hyrus mind was reeling. First, Pansy and Hermione bring up that someone in the school has been Obliviating people to forget the truth about the Chamber of Secrets, and now this? He couldn’t help but worry that Dumbledore was behind both cases. If he didn’t mind messing with his own staff’s minds when it came to matters that affected Hogwarts, what was to stop him from going after others as well?</p><p>But why the Longbottoms? What had they ever done to him? They weren’t Dark like Hydrus’ parents, nor had they ever been to known to sympathize with Voldemort’s cause. They were an upstanding Light family who had lended their aid to Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix in the war. There was no reason for Dumbledore to have targeted them.</p><p>“I… how does this change things?” Regent Longbottom asked, her voice shaky. “Are Frank and Alice…?”</p><p>“When a person is Obliviated,” Amelia began, sounding a bit wary, as if she wasn’t sure she should be saying what she was. “The memories are not removed from the mind like most believe. Instead, those memories are locked away and hidden from the victim’s own mind. This is why, either through professional help or the use of certain trigger words, previously Obliviated memories can sometimes resurface.” </p><p>The study fell silent for what felt like an eternity but was in all likelihood only a minute or two. There was something heavy in the words that had been left hanging in the air, and, although Hydrus couldn’t discern their meaning, he felt their weight all the same.</p><p>“Are you suggesting what I think you are, Amelia?” Regent Longbottom finally asked. She sounded hesitant, as if whatever had transpired was somehow too good to be true.</p><p>“Yes, Augusta, I am,” Amelia confirmed. “Frank and Alice’s memories are all still in there, and we’ve found someone who can bring them back.”</p><p>“Are you certain?”</p><p>“Completely.”</p><p>His heart pounding in his chest, Hydrus fled from the door as silently as he could. Sirius had told him before that his parents and Uncle Rabastan were falsely accused of torturing Neville’s parents, but this was the first time he’d come across concrete proof. Not only was there a chance that he’d get his parents back, but Neville would be getting his back as well. He had no idea what to do with that information.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>can you believe it's only been a month since i started this fic???</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Memory Magic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>hydrus and hermione have their annual christmas adventure of getting into things they probably shouldn't</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i still don't own harry potter (unfortunately)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For all the glitz and glamor of the Yule Gala, Yule itself had been a small, understated family affair. Hydrus’ family had opted to celebrate at Malfoy Manor since most of the family was already there, and because ushering so many kids through the floo was quite a hassle. This decision was initially protested by Sirius—who had been determined to prove that he was responsible enough to host a holiday at Grimmauld Place without incident. Luckily, Remus managed to convince him that the gloomy, half-cursed home wasn’t yet suitable for hosting a holiday.</p><p>“There’s always Lammas this summer,” Remus had assured him.</p><p>To everyone’s surprise, this new goal had been enough to distract Sirius from his disappointment over Yule.</p><p>Presents were exchanged and traditions were taught, much to the delight of all the children. Hermione in particular had been fascinated by Remus and Aunt Narcissa’s explanations of how Yule differed from the muggle celebration of Christmas. Much like with Samhain, both of the Lestrange twins found that they much preferred the Old Ways to their muggle counterparts.</p><p>Hydrus had received a lovely assortment of books, a new knife set for potions preparation, black dragonhide boots, and a Nimbus 2001 racing broom. He didn’t have any interest in joining the school quidditch team, but he still loved flying and playing seeker’s games with Draco.</p><p>But his absolute favorite gift had been the one he’d received from his father: a sturdy silver chain with a small crystal vial pendant that had been charmed to be unbreakable. The vial was just big enough to hold a mouthful of purging potion, a general cure-all against all nature of compulsion potions.</p><p>Father had gotten a charmed protection bracelet for Dade and a set of books on introductory parselmagic for Hermione. He’d admitted that he’d originally planned to get them snakes, but, due to the Chamber of Secrets rumors going around at Hogwarts, he thought it best to hold off for now lest they face increased harassment from the other students. While Dade had nodded in resigned understanding, Hermione was relieved. She was far more interested in kneazles right now because her dormmate Mandy Brocklehurst’s kneazle was—in her opinion—the cutest and cleverest thing she’d ever seen.</p><p>After recovering from the initial shock of learning his parselmouth daughter would prefer a kneazle of all things, Father had offered to get her one over the summer holidays as a late birthday gift. “You can have a snake as well, you know,” he’d told her just in case she might be interested in both. “You don’t have to chose between one or the other.”</p><p>Hermione had just smiled and said, “Thanks, but I’d rather just have a kneazle for now. The types of snakes I prefer aren’t allowed at Hogwarts, and it wouldn’t be kind to leave it at home all year.”</p><p>Realizing that she was referring to venomous snakes, Father had kindly dropped the subject.</p><p>Aunt Andromeda, Uncle Ted, and their daughter Tonks—who Hydrus had learned was actually called Nymphadora—had come over for dinner that night. Hydrus enjoyed spending time with the three of them, but he felt a special connection with Uncle Ted because he was a muggle-born who had the same appreciation for magic as Hydrus. He’d also had the same desire to learn everything he could about wizarding society when he was young, and his stories of trying to navigate his way through this strange world he’d entered were all too relatable.</p><p>Winter break was far less busy once Yule had passed. Hydrus, Hermione, Draco, and Dade spent the next several days working on their winter homework. They mostly worked together, collaborating on their assignments and helping Dade out whenever he got stuck on something. It was nice to have some quiet time to unwind, even if it was for something as mundane as homework. After all the socializing Hydrus had done over the past few days, he was grateful to have a few days with no real plans.</p><p>But things didn’t remain quiet for long. The morning after Christmas, Hydrus and Hermione were sitting alone together in the breakfast nook. Like nearly every other morning over break, they had been the first of the children to wake, but had gotten up so much later than the adults that their morning routines didn’t overlap. Just as their tea and breakfast appeared on the table, Father’s owl Athena flew into the room and dropped a copy of the <em>Daily Prophet</em> in front of Hydrus.</p><p>He looked down at the paper to see—</p><p></p><div class="center"><p><strong>HOGWARTS GROUNDSKEEPER WRONGFULLY EXPELLED AS A STUDENT?</strong></p><p>Hydrus peered over the newspaper to see Hermione sporting a Cheshire grin. “Did you have something to do with this?” he asked her.</p><p>“It was Pansy’s idea,” came Hermione’s far too pleased reply.</p><p>Shaking his head, Hydrus resumed his reading.</p><p></p><div class="center"><p><em>With the news of students once again being petrified at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, rumors of the Legendary Chamber of Secrets being opened have begun circulating for the first time in fifty years. In a search for the truth, two students (who will remain anonymous due to their age) discovered that the only student to die during the 1942-1943 attacks had never left her final resting place. And what she told those curious students is shocking.</em></p></div><div class="center"><p><em>According to Myrtle Warren—more widely known as the Hogwarts ghost Moaning Myrtle—her death in 1943 had in fact been an accident that had nothing to do with the petrifications. A look into the alarmingly thin investigation into her death all those years ago showed that her death was indeed different from the petrifications, as she had suffered from a head wound. While the autopsy claims this wasn’t the cause of death, one must wonder what happened to the teen for her to have been injured in the first place…</em></p></div><div class="center"><p><em>But that’s not all! Both Ms. Warren and the school records from the time of her death show that it was none other than third year student Rubeus Hagrid who took the blame. Hagrid, now the groundskeeper for Hogwarts, was expelled and his wand snapped as punishment for the petrifications and death—all without any proof of his involvement. Ms. Warren insists that she told both Headmaster Armando Dippet and his successor Albus Dumbledore that Hagrid was not the responsible party, and has grown increasingly frustrated that no one will listen to her regarding this egregious miscarriage of justice.</em></p></div><div class="center"><p><em>”I remember my death. I can give testimony. I’d gladly clear Hagrid’s name if only someone would let me,” explained a frustrated Myrtle Warren.</em></p></div><div class="center"><p><em>With two muggle-born students and a cat petrified during the previous Hogwarts term, it is now more important than ever to ensure that a proper investigation is carried out. Not only do the victims of this most recent string of attacks deserve justice, but so do the victims from fifty years ago. One can only hope that Hogwarts doesn’t engage in a second coverup, or worse, use Mr. Rubeus Hagrid as a scapegoat for a second time.</em></p><p>Hydrus put down the paper and stared at his sister. “It’s only been a week since you found out about this. How in the world did you already manage to notify the papers?”</p></div><p>“Pansy and I told her mother, who in turn told her contacts at the <em>Daily Prophet</em>,” Hermione explained, a dangerous gleam in her eye. “They were all too eager to get a scoop like this one.”</p><p>“And the quote from Myrtle?” Hydrus asked.</p><p>Hermione shrugged. “I honestly have no idea about that one,” she admitted. “It’s not like Pansy or I were who she said that to.”</p><p>“Odd,” was all Hydrus could think to say to that. “I wonder how the writer managed to get into the school without Dumbledore noticing.”</p><p>“Maybe those secret passages in and out of Hogwarts aren’t as secret as the Marauders thought.”</p><p>Hermione had told Hydrus all about the Marauders’ Map that the Weasley twins had showed her, as well as how Remus’ nickname matched one of the four Marauders. She also shared her theories that Sirius was one of the other Marauders—specifically, that he was the one called Padfoot based on his animagus form. Hydrus was inclined to agree.</p><p>“Either that, or this Rita Skeeter person might have been one of the Marauders,” Hydrus considered. After all, Sirius and Remus had never actually said that they were Marauders or who the other two might have been.</p><p>“Or she might have at least known them,” Hermione agreed.</p><p>By the time dinner rolled around, the entire family had either read the article or had heard the news from someone else in the house. While it hadn’t come as a surprise to Draco or Dade, the adults had been completely blindsided by both the article and Hermione’s involvement. Father and Aunt Narcissa had been both proud of her for getting involved and disappointed that she hadn’t confided in either of them. In particular, Father had worried that Hermione’s memory could have ended up being modified if she hadn’t been careful, and he stressed the importance of always telling someone her plans ahead of time just in case something were to go wrong.</p><p>Uncle Lucius, on the other hand, was furious on Hagrid’s behalf. He hadn’t ever cared much for the half giant and for years had worried the man’s apparent simplemindedness could be a danger to the students. Now, though, knowing the truth, Uncle Lucius wanted reparations of some kind for Hagrid. He hadn’t even been given the opportunity for homeschooling of a muggle or magical nature, which was Uncle Lucius explained was a big deal since homeschooling was <em>always</em> recommended to expelled students.</p><p>“It’s almost as if someone was trying to keep him uneducated on purpose,” Uncle Lucius seethed.</p><p>The family had retired to the sitting room after dinner, spending time together in front of the fire with warm drinks in their hands and instrumental music playing in the background. Draco was trying to teach Dade how to play wizard’s chess, Aunt Narcissa and Hermione were doing the crossword together while Ursa braided Hermione’s hair, and Hydrus was simply watching everyone—wholly content to bask in the presence of the loving family he’d always wanted.</p><p>“I know prejudice had been a motivating factor in Hagrid’s expulsion,” Father admitted between sips of his mulled wine, “but I doubt even Armando Dippet would have been brazen enough to go against policy and deny a student the right to homeschooling.”</p><p>Uncle Lucius raised a curious eyebrow. “Prejudice? In what way?”</p><p>“Hagrid’s mother was a giantess. No doubt Dippet was pleased to rid the school of a so-called half-breed,” Father sneered.</p><p>“Then why is he still on the grounds?” Uncle Lucius asked.</p><p>“Because Dumbledore, ever the savior in his own mind, petitioned to have Hagrid kept on as a groundskeeper—claiming some nonsense about how it’d be the best way to allow Hagrid to remain in the wizarding world.”</p><p>“So <em>that’s</em> why Hagrid has such an unhealthy devotion to Dumbledore,” Hydrus realized.</p><p>Both Father and Uncle Lucius turned to their attention to him, wearing matching surprised expressions. “What makes you say that the devotion is unhealthy?” Father inquired, his voice slow and curious.</p><p>“When he took me to Diagon Alley for the first time—” Hydrus didn’t miss how all three adults and Draco were looking at him in horror “—he kept talking about how Dumbledore was a great man and the only wizard Father ever feared and all this other nonsense about his legacy. It was a bit unnerving really, especially since I’d just learned the man was responsible for placing me with the Dursleys. No offense, Dade.”</p><p>“None taken,” Dade said with a shrug. “I’m well aware that my parents were monsters.”</p><p>Of all the adults, Uncle Lucius was the first to recover. “Are you telling me that your introduction to the wizarding world was done by a die-hard Dumbledore loyalist with a third year education?”</p><p>Hydrus nodded. He thought he’d made that bit quite clear. “Anyway,” he continued before anyone could ask another pointless question, “if Dumbledore was the one to give Hagrid the groundskeeper position, and if he framed it as giving him his only chance to stay in the wizarding world, then it only makes sense that Hagrid would feel eternally grateful for what he likely sees as the greatest favor ever granted to him.”</p><p>“Are you suggesting that Dumbledore orchestrated all of this for the sole purpose of having Hagrid feel indebted to him?” Father asked, sounding rather impressed.</p><p>“Most likely,” Hydrus confirmed. “I mean, he basically tried to do the same thing to me by putting me in an abusive home and then having one of his loyal followers ‘rescue’ me at eleven. I’d bet Hagrid and I aren’t the only ones he’s done this to.”</p><p>“That,” said Uncle Lucius in a grave voice, “is a possible pattern of behavior we’ll need to investigate for not just Hagrid but potentially a number of Dumbledore’s… associates.”</p><p>Hydrus hummed in agreement. It sounded like a good idea to look into other people’s backgrounds to see what the headmaster might have done to gain their loyalty. There could be a chance to free people from an unwanted alliance with the man, or even better, a chance to help them deliver revenge for their subjugation.</p><p></p><div class="center"><p>*****</p></div>That night, just sleep had finally taken Hydrus, he was startled awake by someone jumping onto the bed beside him. Groggy and disoriented, he blinked the sleep out of his eyes to see Hermione sitting beside him, reaching out as if she was about to shake him awake.<p>“Oh, good,” she said, relieved. “You’re already up.”</p><p>Hydrus squinted his eyes at her. “Not that I don’t love spending time with you, but what’s so important that you felt the need to wake me up?”</p><p>“I’ve been thinking about the thing you overheard during the Yule Gala.”</p><p>Suddenly, Hydrus felt very, very awake. Hermione was the only person he had told about the conversation he’d overheard regarding Neville’s parents, and even that admission had mostly come out through their mental link. There was something about hearing such an important secret that had made him hesitate to share it with anyone, especially if that person might inadvertently ruin things. After all, Amelia—who Hermione figured must have been Madame Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE—hadn’t mentioned anything about suspects. Hydrus didn’t want to risk the information getting back to Dumbledore or whoever else might have been responsible just in case they tried to use the early warning to escape justice.</p><p>“What about it?” he hesitantly asked his sister.</p><p>“While I find the possibility of restoring Obviated memories quite fascinating, I’m really quite concerned about how to protect oneself from being Obliviated in the first place,” she explained, anxiously chewing on her lower lip. “I’d like to do more research on Obliviation to see what sorts of counters and defenses exist. I mean, there’s at least one overzealous Obliviator out there who doesn’t seem to care what happens to his victims. It’s just not safe to leave our minds unprotected.”</p><p>Hydrus considered his sister’s concerns. She had every right to be worried. There was someone Obliviating people right in Hogwarts, and it was almost certainly the headmaster. It would be all too easy for him to simply erase their memories any time they caught him in the wrong. Who was to say he hadn’t already done it?</p><p>Despite the newly growing panic that made Hydrus’ heart race, he couldn’t help but ask the obvious question: “Are you sure you want to do this right now?”</p><p>Hermione shrugged. “Why not? This is as good a time as any.”</p><p>“It’s the middle of the night!”</p><p>That didn’t seem to bother Hermione at all.</p><p>Not ten minutes later, Hydrus found himself being led into the Malfoy family library by his sister. He still didn’t know how he’d been talked into this, but at this point, he doubted it mattered. They were already there, and Hermione was piling up a stack of books in front of them with the intent to apparently master memory magic before sunrise.</p><p>Hermione mercifully stopped looking for more books after dropping the sixth one onto the stack. She passed one substantial tome to Hydrus and then reached for another that was twice as thick. She muttered, “Divide and conquer,” as her only explanation.</p><p><em>Obliviation and Restoration</em>, it turned out, was one of the driest books Hydrus had ever had the misfortune of reading. Each page read like a transcript of one of Binns’ lectures on the goblin wars. They just went on and on and on with sentences that were an entire paragraph long and minimal punctuation to ease the way. Even Victor Hugo could have been more concise than this.</p><p>The information only grew more tedious as the chapters went on. Hydrus was starting to wonder if he’d manage to absorb any of the words in front of him, or if he was doomed to an all-nighter dedicated to headaches and glazed over eyes.</p><p>“Huh,” Hermione said after a long while, cocking her head to the side as she read.</p><p>Hydrus gave his sister a curious look. Surely anything she said would be more interesting than a long-winded chapter discussing the principles of ethics while engaging in mind magic. “What?” he asked.</p><p>“Apparently occlumency and certain types of meditation can help people search their minds for missing memories,” she explained, “even if they aren’t aware of ever having been Obliviated.”</p><p>“Huh,” Hydrus agreed. Maybe he should start checking his own mind every so often just to be safe.</p><p>Hydrus tried to resume his reading, but he couldn’t stop thinking about occlumency and how his natural ability for it had been bound by Dumbledore as a baby. He’d thought then that it had been done so that he wouldn’t be able to keep out the likes of Dumbledore and others on the side of the Light who might wish to look through his innermost thoughts. Now, though, he wondered if there hadn’t been an even more sinister reason. Had Dumbledore anticipated a need to Obliviate him? Had he been hoping he could simply make Hydrus forget his hatred for the man? Whatever the reason, it only served to make Hydrus more anxious for revenge.</p><p>Eventually, Hydrus gave up on his attempts to read and settled for staring angrily at the pages while he thought about Dumbledore. The logical part of him understood the need for subtlety and thorough investigation, but his life would be so much easier if someone just killed Dumbledore outright. It wasn’t as though the man had contributed a single good thing to society other than stopping Grindelwald, and he hadn’t even finished the job. He was hardly a worthy Light Lord if he couldn’t even kill Wizard Hitler. And every single thing he’d done since then had been either restrictive, immoral, or illegal. He didn’t deserve to continue living.</p><p>Hydrus liked to imagine that, if it weren’t for Dumbledore’s public image, he’d kill the headmaster himself and be done with it. He didn’t actually think he was capable of murder yet since he was only twelve and didn’t yet have much knowledge of how to kill people, but it still filled him with a sense of relief to imagine the manipulative bastard dead at his feet—that obnoxious twinkle in his blue eyes finally snuffed out.</p><p>Out of nowhere, Hermione slammed her book shut with so much force that Hydrus jumped. “Why isn’t there anything helpful in any of these books?” she groaned. “Three hours of work, and all we’ve discovered is that occlumency helps people find their Obliviated memories.”</p><p>“And it’s not like <em>Obliviate</em> is the sort of spell you hear in a duel, so you most likely wouldn’t have your wand at the ready before someone cast it at you,” Hydrus added, feeling equally frustrated.</p><p>“You’re right,” Hermione agreed, the corners of her mouth turned down in a disappointed half frown. “The only real defense would be <em>Expelliarmus</em> or <em>Protegot</em>, but like you said, you most likely wouldn’t have your wand out in a situation where someone might use <em>Obliviate</em>.”</p><p>Hydrus’ brows furrowed as he tried to focus. They couldn’t give up this easily. There had to be something they could do to protect their memories. Absentmindedly rubbing the charmed pendant his father had given him, he struggled to think of a different way of protecting themselves until—</p><p>“We’re going about this the wrong way,” he realized, remembering the properties of his pendant, as well as Dade and Hermione’s charmed bracelets. “Rather than looking for a counterspell, we should be focusing on protection charms.”</p><p>“Protection charms?” Hermione repeated. Hydrus could practically hear the gears turning in her head. “Oh, like the bracelets! That’s brilliant! And so obvious! How did neither of us think of that sooner?”</p><p>“Probably because it’s—” Hydrus cast a tempus “—half past three in the morning.”</p><p>Hermione’s eyes went wide with surprise. “Is it really? Well, no wonder we’re not at the top of our game. We should probably go to bed soon.”</p><p>“I did try that earlier, you know,” Hydrus reminded her.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. You’re the responsible one who remembers to sleep or whatever.”</p><p>Hydrus snorted. “Or whatever.”</p><p>Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. “Oh, shut up,” she told him, though her words had no real bite. “Let’s just go to sleep now and regroup at a normal hour.”</p><p>“What a wonderful plan,” Hydrus teased, going over the top with in his pretending to be impressed. “If only you could have come up with it three hours ago.”</p><p>As the two siblings made their way back to their bedrooms to finally get some sleep, Hydrus felt a strange sense of accomplishment. He may not have wanted to be woken up in the middle of the night to research memory magic, but it was good to know it wasn’t all for naught. Now that they had an idea for a possible solution, they’d be far more successful during tomorrow’s search.</p></div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Wizengamot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>werewolf rights, babey!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i don't own harry potter<br/>2. unfortunately there's like 3 seconds of umbridge in this chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marvolo Corvinus Gaunt strode into the Wizengamot chamber, brandishing a new black and silver walking stick. He’d long since gotten used to having legs after his decade without, but he’d also gotten used to carrying around a cane whenever he walked. Leaving the house without it now felt like he was missing a limb. Luckily, his good friend Lucius—who had taken to using his father’s old walking stick after his his death—could still remember the shop where Abraxas Malfoy had purchased it. It was a stylish compromise that made him look less weak than a proper cane yet didn’t leave him feeling somehow incomplete.</p>
<p>“Are you ready to for your formal introduction, My— er, Marvolo?”</p>
<p>Months had passed since Marvolo had given Lucius permission to use his new first name, but those months had yet to fully override decades of referring to him as “My Lord”. It was getting to be a bit annoying, if Marvolo was perfectly honest. After all, their children were cousins. They could afford a bit of informality between one another. In fact, he’d been actively encouraging it.</p>
<p>“I will be as long as you don’t slip up and call me the wrong thing,” Marvolo warned his friend. “We wouldn’t want Dumbledore making accusations in front of the Wizengamot, now would we?”</p>
<p>Lucius’ eyes widened ever so slightly in alarm. “Yes, of course. That would be an unmitigated disaster… if the accusation came from my mistake.”</p>
<p>“Lucius?”</p>
<p>“It would work in our favor if the old fool were to declare you the Dark Lord with no more proof than your surname,” he explained. “I’m not counting on the possibility, but that isn’t to say there’s no chance of it happening.”</p>
<p>“He would look insane making a declaration like that,” Marvolo realized, appraising Lucius. His friend was perhaps the most impressive manipulator he’d ever met. If anyone could maneuver a situation like that in their favor, it would be him.</p>
<p>Lucius smirked. “He would indeed.”</p>
<p>“Lead the way, my slippery friend. We may just have an entertaining day.”</p>
<p>Contrary to what the Light’s propaganda claimed, this wasn’t the first time Marvolo had been a member of the Wizengamot. Abraxas Malfoy and Thelonios Nott had walked him through the process of claiming his Gaunt and Slytherin seats back in the late 1940’s when he was still Tom Riddle. He’d begun hyphenating his surname to Gaunt-Riddle back then to sound more important, though it hadn’t been legally binding due to Morfin Gaunt’s refusal to claim a half-blood as part of the family. Still, with his uncle locked up in Azkaban for triple murder, there had been no one to contest his taking up both of the family seats and the lordships that came with them.</p>
<p>Marvolo had maintained his seats on the Wizengamot up until the final years of the war with the Light, at which point it had become too dangerous for him to continue attending the sessions. He’d appointed Abraxas as his proxy and devoted all his time and attention to protecting the Dark from Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix. And it had all been for naught. Nearly all the laws that had been enacted during his time on the Wizengamot had been repealed, restrictions against Dark magic became more oppressive than ever, and most of his marked supporters had ended up in Azkaban regardless of their involvement in any actual crimes.</p>
<p>Now, though, he knew his success would endure. The Unspeakables had explained to him that the very state of magic in Britain had been diminishing, growing sickly pale and ill while he’d been gone. It had become so unbalanced by the Light that it was no longer sustainable, and thus, a centuries old prophecy had become activated. Marvolo had a part in that prophecy. He wasn’t just a self-proclaimed Dark Lord; he had been chosen as the leader of the Dark by Lady Magic herself. The time of the three true lords was soon upon them, and together, they had the power to vanquish the False Lord and bring about an era of magical prosperity. They just needed the true Light Lord to step into his role.</p>
<p>Even without the Unspeakables showing him the names on the prophecy, Marvolo had known the False Lord referred to Dumbledore. His leadership of the Light was illegitimate, and his only true desire had been for power and control rather than the preservation of the Light Arts. He was far too selfish to have been chosen by Lady Magic. </p>
<p>As Marvolo sat down in his seat, he spotted one of the other destined true Lords: Madame Amelia Bones. The epitome of justice, fairness, and balance, Madame Bones represented the best qualities of a Gray Lord. She would prove to be a powerful ally once the time came to restore Wizarding Britain.</p>
<p>He gave her a a slight head nod, which she subtly returned.</p>
<p>“Tell me about Madame Bones’ voting record again,” Marvolo requested of Lucius.</p>
<p>“She’s consistently progressive, and pays more attention to the content of a proposed bill than whether it was proposed by a Light or Dark wizard,” Lucius replied, unable to stop himself from casting a glance Madame Bones’ way. “She’d just as soon vote in favor of a mandatory Muggle Studies class as the legalization of blood-based potions if she thought the rationale behind it was sound.”</p>
<p>Marvolo made a noncommittal noise. He couldn’t imagine any rationale that would convince him to support some of the Light’s more muggle appeasing initiatives, but he could work with someone who was influenced only by reason.</p>
<p>“Do you think she’ll support the bill you’re proposing today?” Marvolo asked.</p>
<p>“Almost certainly,” Lucius easily assured him. “In all the years I’ve known her, I’ve never seen her show any anti-creature prejudice.”</p>
<p>“Yet she and the rest of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement still strictly enforce laws that unfairly affect those with creature blood.”</p>
<p>Lucius pursed his lips. “The majority of them would gladly strike the anti-creature laws off the books if the Wizengamot was competent enough to give them the chance.”</p>
<p>The first Wizengamot session of 1994 was called to order not much later. Marvolo wasn’t yet sure what to make of Dumbledore’s replacement as Chief Warlock. Lord Cyrus Greengrass was a Gray wizard from a historically Gray family. The Greengrasses had remained neutral through both Grindelwald and his own rise to power, though Marvolo found the former to be unconscionable due to the vile experiments performed on magical students during Grindelwald’s rise. It was nearly impossible to get a read on a man who came from a family with seemingly no moral backbone.</p>
<p>“Now, before we get started, I believe we have a new member being introduced today,” Lord Greengrass announced once everyone finally settled down.</p>
<p>Lucius stood, and Marvolo followed suit. He still thought it a bit odd that he couldn’t simply introduce himself, but he went along with the tradition nonetheless.</p>
<p>“It is my pleasure to introduce to the January 1994 Wizengamot session Marvolo Corvinus Gaunt,” Lucius addressed the court, “who has taken up both the Gaunt and Slytherin lordships.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, my friend,” Marvolo replied, speaking loud enough that the rest of the Wizengamot could hear him. “I vow to use my seats to uphold the Gaunt and Slytherin family names.”</p>
<p>There was a round of polite applause, with a bit of curious whispering about the newly announced Founder’s heir. Marvolo couldn’t help but smirk at the attention. He’d always gotten a kick out of such high ranking wizards fawning over the poor little half-blood who’d come from a horrid muggle orphanage. These were the descendents of every person in who’d dare insult his blood status and poverty during his years at Hogwarts, and now they had no choice but to respect him.</p>
<p>One face in the room, however, didn’t carry so much as an ounce of respect for him. Albus Dumbledore, sitting for both his own seat and as proxy to the Prewett family, glared up at him with barely concealed disdain. It was clear from the lack of twinkle in his murderous eyes that he recognized Marvolo for who he truly was. The only question was whether or not he’d do anything about it.</p>
<p>The corners of his lips twitched as though he wanted to, but he kept his mouth shut. Dumbledore must have realized that it would be political suicide to openly accuse him of being Voldemort right in the middle of a full Wizengamot session. Even if he thought he had the means to prove it, shouting it out in such an open fashion would get him laughed out of the room.</p>
<p>Eventually, the members of the Wizengamot settled back down, and Lord Greengrass announced the first item on the docket. It had something to do with standardizing the definition of “misuse” concerning the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department. For some reason, this proved to be a hotly debated topic, and no one seemed to be in agreement with just how wizardkind ought to interact with muggle technology. Some were against the very idea of bringing anything muggle into the wizarding world, while others were trying to use the proposed bill to force muggle assimilation.</p>
<p>“How in Merlin’s name can there be this many opinions about muggle artefacts?” Marvolo whispered to Lucius.</p>
<p>“Everyone feels the need to show off their true feelings about muggles these days,” Lucius explained, looking just as irritated as Marvolo felt. “It’s quite the political to-do.”</p>
<p>Marvolo arched a skeptical eyebrow. “And they can’t find a better way of doing that?”</p>
<p>“Of course not. Like I said, it’s all political.”</p>
<p>Marvolo couldn’t think of anything more to say to that.</p>
<p>By the time the arguments about the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts had concluded, Marvolo could no longer remember what the point had been. He couldn’t think of a single thing that actually talked about what was in the bill. They hadn’t even managed to bring it to a vote. There was simply too much shouting and chaos.</p>
<p>The next item on the docket was far more straightforward: a proposed budget increase for the Department of Magical Transportation for the purpose of adding more safety measures to the floo system. It passed straightaway.</p>
<p>After a few more items of minimal importance, it was finally time for Lucius’ proposal. Marvolo and Lucius had both spent weeks working tirelessly on their latest project, with quite a bit of input from Remus Lupin and Dade. The research and rewrites had consumed them until they functioned hardly better than inferi, but, should it pass, their bill would bring about the beginning of a revolution in the wizarding world.</p>
<p>They had agreed for now that it was best for Lucius to present the bill. Rarely did anyone pay attention to the proposals of the newest Wizengamot members. They had a far better chance of success by passing it all off as Lucius’ idea for now.</p>
<p>“Lord Malfoy, you have the floor,” stated Lord Greengrass.</p>
<p>Lucius stood from his seat and bowed slightly to the court. “Thank you, Chief Warlock. I would like to put forward legislation to further the rights of humanoid magical creatures,” he announced grandly, “particularly in regards to their right to join our workforce.”</p>
<p>Murmurs broke out through the Wizengamot. Creature rights were a controversial topic, even amongst those who considered themselves accepting people. They might believe in an abstract way that humanoid and otherwise humanlike magical creatures deserved equal rights, but actually being confronted with the opportunity to improve upon those rights often made them uncomfortable. Prejudices they claimed were beneath them suddenly seemed quite valid when someone proposed letting a werewolf or a centaur in the same public space as so-called normal wizards.</p>
<p>“In what way would you improve their right to work?” Madame Bones asked, inspiring another round of murmurs.</p>
<p>Lucius gave her a grin that almost looked sincere. “I’m glad you asked, Madame Bones. In the muggle world, there are special laws that protect the rights of those they consider disabled—that is, those who are blind, deaf, or suffering from some illness or mobility issue that renders them unable to function in the same way as an able-bodied individual. Under these laws, employers are banned from discriminating against them because of these disabilities and in fact must allow for special accommodations for their disabled employees.</p>
<p>“While I wouldn’t classify those with a creature status as being disabled, the fact remains that the vast majority of them would be perfectly capable of contributing to our economy and our society if there were accommodations in place that allowed them to hold jobs. There’s no reason why we can’t arrange for werewolves to work longer hours on certain days to make up for missed time during the full moon; nor is there anything to stop us from hiring vampires for nighttime work as long they receive regular feedings from an approved source.”</p>
<p>A toad-like woman in all pink loudly cleared her throat. “Excuse me, Lord Malfoy, but it sounds as if you’re suggesting we allow animals and half-breeds mingle with wizards as if it were normal.”</p>
<p>There were a few gasps at the phrase “half-breeds”, and, unfortunately, Marvolo had been among them. That term had been all but eliminated from polite society by the end of his last reign as the Dark Lord. How far backwards had the wizarding world fallen since he last stepped foot in the Wizengamot chambers?</p>
<p>“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting, Undersecretary Umbridge,” Lucius replied, the slight twitch of his eye the only outward sign of his annoyance. “I see no reason why it shouldn’t be normal to allow all those who are capable of work to find employment, regardless of species.”</p>
<p>“But the dangers—”</p>
<p>“Are vastly overexaggerated for the sake of fear-mongering and propaganda,” Lucius cut her off. </p>
<p>Umbridge frowned. “Surely you’re not trying to say that the exploits of monsters like Fenrir Greyback are nothing more than propaganda.”</p>
<p>A few people muttered in agreement with Umbridge, irking Marvolo to no end. Both the Light and the staunch traditionalists were far too quick to cast judgement on a group based on the actions of an individual. Some things, it appeared, never change. Prejudice still had far too big a place in wizarding society. It was disgusting to see.</p>
<p>“Fenrir Greyback is an aberration, so extreme in his anti-wizard beliefs that he attacks any fellow werewolf who tries to become a member of wizarding society,” Lucius explained to the rest of the court, pointedly ignoring Umbridge. “To subjugate all werewolves based on his atrocities would be like all wizards being held accountable for the actions of Gellert Grindelwald.”</p>
<p>Marvolo hummed in agreement. The saying “hindsight is twenty-twenty” had never hit home harder for him than realizing the truth about Greyback. In his desire to do right by werewolves, he’d put far too much misplaced trust in that monster—only to discover years later that he and his pack were reviled amongst the greater werewolf population due to their ferocity and preference for attacking children. Because of that, Marvolo felt partly responsible for the boom in the werewolf population. He resolved to better understand their needs this time around and fix the problems he’d inadvertently created for them.</p>
<p>“I’d like to see some proof of these frankly outlandish claims,” Umbridge demanded shrilly.</p>
<p>Lucius grinned, though there was a dangerous edge to it. “Of course.”</p>
<p>Crime statistics from both Britain and the continent, sworn affidavits from Gringotts employees who had worked alongside all manner of creatures due to the bank’s non-discriminant employment opportunities, and that American werewolf study Dade had brought to their attention all materialized in front of each member in attendance.</p>
<p>Lord Greengrass skimmed through the documents with an amused look on his face. “Lord Malfoy, you could have mentioned it sooner that Gringotts already operates under the very practices you’re proposing,” he said. “It might’ve saved us a bit of time on the arguments.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Lucius conceded, “though I had a feeling some people—” he glared at Umbridge “—would be even less receptive to the idea if they learned that the goblin nation had already perfected it.”</p>
<p>“Yes, it’s funny how prejudice can warp a person’s mind like that,” Lord Greengrass absentmindedly agreed, winning Marvolo over just a bit.</p>
<p>“I’m particularly impressed by the crime disparities between our country and Switzerland,” Madame Bones added. “Their crime rate amongst werewolves and kobolds is less than half of ours, and their rate of vampire attacks is only one quarter of what we see in Britain. And from the looks of it, they cite their jobs programs as the biggest contributing factor.”</p>
<p>“Romania’s rates are nearly as low as Switzerland’s, which is incredible given that they have one of the largest vampire populations in the world,” Marvolo stated, acting both surprised and impressed so that the rest of the Wizengamot would seek out the crime statistics as well. “Clearly allowing those with a creature status to more easily integrate within our society has far reaching benefits.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s abominable that we have the highest crime rates among creatures in all of Europe,” came the stern voice of Regent Augusta Longbottom, shaking her head in consternation. “Everywhere else has at least some bill of rights for their creature populations, yet we’re over here in the Stone Ages with our outdated registries and bans.”</p>
<p>Those who hadn’t been impressed by the comments of the Gray and Dark members of the Wizengamot were easily won over by the Longbottom matriarch. As one of the few on the Light who had a mind of her own rather than blindly following Dumbledore, Madame Longbottom was respected by members of all factions within the Wizengamot. She had more sway than even the Chief Warlock when it came to certain matters. </p>
<p>“Have you seen the affidavits from the Gringotts employees?” asked a woman Marvolo didn’t recognize. “They all seem quite comfortable and sometimes even thrilled about having nonhuman coworkers.”</p>
<p>Undersecretary Umbridge muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “half-breeds”, but no one paid her any mind. It was nearly impossible to agree with her prejudiced beliefs when confronted with hard evidence.</p>
<p>Lord Greengrass called the room back to order. “Given the thorough and compelling information Lord Malfoy has shown us, it’s time to call a vote. Those in favor of improving employment rights for humanoid creatures?”</p>
<p>As Marvolo raised his hand, he watched Dumbledore like a snake in the grass—regarding his prey with careful fascination as he waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. Every flicker of uncertainty, every attempt to feign a supportive smile, all told the story of the old fool’s internal struggle. To come out against the bill would make him look like a liar after decades of claiming to care for equality, but to vote in favor would mean allowing Dark creatures to benefit. No matter what he chose, Dumbledore would lose.</p>
<p>After a few more more moments of frustrated indecision, Dumbledore raised his hand as well.</p>
<p>When all was said and done, Lucius’ proposal was approved in an overwhelming landslide. Only four votes were cast against it: Umbridge and three people Marvolo didn’t recognize.</p>
<p>“Remus will be thrilled,” Lucius said quietly enough that only Marvolo would hear him.</p>
<p>Marvolo smirked. “It also makes my plans to hire him as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor far, far easier to pull off,” he added.</p>
<p>He sat back and watched the rest of the session with little more than passive curiosity. He’d gotten what he wanted. Nothing else mattered.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Albus Dumbledore sat in his office contemplating his latest trip to the Ministry. He had no idea what to make of the latest Wizengamot session. What’s more, he had no idea what to make of the newly introduced Lord Marvolo Corvinus Gaunt.<p>When he’d first seen the man at Lucius’ side, Dumbledore had been convinced he was somehow a newly corporeal Tom Riddle. The name he used would have held a tremendous amount of meaning to young Tom, and their physical appearances were nearly identical. But, as the session went on, he was glad he hadn’t made what he was now sure would have been an incorrect accusation against the man.</p>
<p>Lord Gaunt was nothing at all like Tom. He’d come across as genuinely curious during the discussion about muggle artefacts and eager to grant employment rights to full creatures and those with creature blood—almost like he was under some misguided impression that he was helping the less fortunate. His heart seemed to be in the right place, but his execution was all wrong. With time and a better understanding of their world, Dumbledore thought this young new lord might be swayed towards a more neutral voting record.</p>
<p>The strangest thing about Lord Gaunt was that, despite his pureblood manners, he didn’t appear to be all that informed about the way wizarding Britain operated. He came off as far too open-minded and idealistic to properly fit in. Remembering the muggle-born girls Tom had surrounded himself with during his school years, he wondered if Lord Gaunt was some illegitimate heir born to one of those girls and raised by his mother in the muggle world. It would explain just about everything when it came to the man.</p>
<p>It occurred to Dumbledore halfway through the session that Lord Gaunt must have been the uncle he’d heard was raising that Gryffindor first year Daedalus Gaunt. The Gaunt boy had settled into Gryffindor well if Minerva was to be believed, befriending not only the youngest Weasley but another muggle-born boy in their year. He’d even made an enemy of a Death Eater’s son in Slytherin. If Lord Gaunt had brought up a young boy as fine as that despite their Dark family history, he couldn’t be half bad.</p>
<p>However, the most vexing part of the Wizengamot session hadn’t been the mysterious Lord Gaunt. Lucius Malfoy’s proposal of employment rights for humanoid creatures had thrown him through a loop. It wasn’t like Lucius to propose anything that didn’t directly benefit purebloods, or, more specifically, his own family. He doubted it had anything to do with the man’s rumored veela blood, but he couldn’t think of any other creatures in the Malfoy family, not unless—</p>
<p>Remus Lupin!</p>
<p>Lucius’ wife was a Black by blood, and, with Sirius as the head of her family, being in his good graces would benefit the Malfoys. Sirius was a known creature sympathizer and was best friends with Remus Lupin, so this must have been a strategic move by Lucius to suck up to the new Lord Black.</p>
<p>Dumbledore knew such a gesture wouldn’t be enough to sway Sirius to the Dark, not even in his current rebellion of declaring himself neutral. As far as Sirius knew, the Dark was responsible for killing the Potters. He’d never betray Lily and James’ memories by permanently distancing himself from the Light. This new bill would just make him slightly less manageable as there was one less item to use as leverage to force his compliance.</p>
<p>While he wasn’t at all happy that Dark creatures would have improved rights under the new legislation, there was one unforeseen benefit. There would be no reason for anyone to call into question his hiring of Remus Lupin once the Defense curse expelled Lockhart from the castle. And with Remus being eternally grateful over having been allowed into Hogwarts despite his status, the werewolf would never think twice about accepting the obviously cursed position as long as it was Dumbledore offering it to him.</p>
<p>A knock at the door snapped Dumbledore out of his introspections. “Yes?” he called out.</p>
<p>The door opened slowly to reveal a hesitant Hagrid. “Yeh wanted to see me, Professor?”</p>
<p>Dumbledore took a deep breath. He had indeed wanted to talk to his groundskeeper. Ever since that blasted Skeeter article came out in the <i>Daily Prophet</i>, he’d been working on a cover story for keeping Hagrid in the dark about his options for finishing his education.</p>
<p>“Indeed I did, my boy,” Dumbledore said amiably. “Come, sit. I’m sure we have quite a bit to discuss.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. The False Heir</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the false heir is finally discovered</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i don't own hp</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite the start of a new year and a new term, the atmosphere at Hogwarts hung heavy and stale, clinging desperately to the terror and sorrow of the attacks the previous fall. Mrs. Norris, Colin Creevey, and Justin Finch-Fletchley were all still petrified, and it seemed as though nothing would be done about that any time soon. There was no official investigation, no safety precautions put in place—not even a warning had been issued. Dumbledore still didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with that.</p>
<p>The only good news of the new year had been the staffing changes. Binns had been exorcised over the holidays now that Aunt Andromeda would be taking over the History post, and not a single student mourned the loss. Professor McGonagall had returned from her time at St. Mungo’s looking younger and healthier than Hydrus had ever seen her, though there was still a wariness in her eyes, almost as if she couldn’t quite get over it that one of her lions had been attacked. Dumbledore would no longer be covering McGonagall’s Transfiguration classes, much to the relief of the majority of the students. He had been a lackluster substitute at best.</p>
<p>But perhaps the biggest and most talked about change revolved around Hagrid. Both the <i>Daily Prophet</i> and the Ministry of Magic had received hundreds upon hundreds of owls in response to the news article on the half-giant’s innocence. Within a matter of days, his case was reviewed, resulting in a reversal of his expulsion, permission to carry a wand, and an offer for free private tutors so that he could finish his education.</p>
<p>Hagrid was going to remain the groundskeeper for now, but Professor Kettleburn had asked him to start shadowing the Care of Magical Creatures classes and even offered him an apprenticeship on the condition that he did well on his O.W.L.s. Rumor had it that Kettleburn was hoping to help Hagrid get his N.E.W.T.s and perhaps a Care of Magical Creatures mastery so that he could take over teaching the class as soon as Kettleburn was ready to retire. There also a rumor that Dumbledore hadn’t been supportive of Kettleburn’s offer to Hagrid, and, based on the tension between the three of them up at the staff table during meals, Hydrus was inclined to believe that it was more than just a rumor.</p>
<p>“I wonder why he didn’t just Obliviate Hagrid and Kettleburn if he hates the apprenticeship idea so much,” Pansy said, her voice dripping with disgust as she glared up at the staff table during dinner. “After all, he’s never shown any hesitance messing with people’s memories before.”</p>
<p>“He can’t. Giants are naturally resistant to Obliviation, so Hagrid probably is as well,” Hydrus replied.</p>
<p>He and Hermione had discovered that fact over the course of their winter break readings. Quite a number of creatures, it turned out, had some level of resistance to memory charms and legilimency—including giants, trolls, werewolves, vampires, and sirens. Hermione’s latest theory was that Dumbledore had wanted to keep Hagrid uneducated and uninformed because he wouldn’t ever be able to maintain control over the half-giant otherwise. Hydrus had to admit that the theory had its merits. After all, Hagrid was bigger and stronger than the headmaster, and would be more than capable of killing the old wizard with his bare hands if he ever caught wind of his manipulations. </p>
<p>Speaking of memory charms, the twins, with the help of Aunt Narcissa, had also managed to create charmed bracelets that protected the wearer against Obliviation and other memory charms. They’d made enough for themselves and all their friends, and their innocuous braided leather design with one single metal charm gave off the impression that they were friendship bracelets rather than a form of defense. This had been done so as not to draw attention from the wrong sort of people, and it had worked so far. None of the professors thought anything about their students’ matching bracelets.</p>
<p>“Too bad we can’t all be naturally resistant to memory charms,” Draco grumbled, absentmindedly rubbing his bracelet.</p>
<p>Pansy nodded vigorously in agreement. “Honestly, that kind of spellwork should have never been invented. It only has one good use, and that’s making muggles forget about magic.”</p>
<p>“And the Ministry has the nerve to claim it’s not that bad because it’s technically a Light spell,” Hydrus scoffed. He’d been outraged when he’d first read that particular detail and had yet to get over it. “It might as well be an Unforgivable with how much devastation it causes.”</p>
<p>Hydrus still hadn’t told any of his friends what he’d overheard during the Yule Gala—with the exception of his twin sister—but he’d been unable to hide his increasingly hostile reactions toward memory charms. Not only had Obliviation locked the Longbottoms in their own minds, but it had also led to his parents suffering in Azkaban for a crime they didn’t commit. Two families had been destroyed by the casting of that one single spell.</p>
<p>“Not to mention how easy it would be to cover up a crime with,” Draco added, his voice a bit strained in alarm as though the mere concept frightened him. “How’s someone going to report you for breaking the law if they don’t remember you doing it?”</p>
<p>Pansy grimaced. “And it’s a much less obvious way of covering your tracks than killing witnesses.”</p>
<p>Hydrus’ heart sank down into his stomach. Was that why Dumbledore had so thoroughly Obliviated the Longbottoms? Had they caught onto his scheming and his crimes? Had they witnessed something they weren’t supposed to? And how had he messed it up so badly that they could no longer go about their lives?</p>
<p>Before he could add anything more to the conversation, an unnatural quiet fell over the Great Hall. Hydrus looked around to find two Ravenclaw prefects talking to Madame Pomfrey at the staff table. All three had gone white as a sheet, and at one point, the medi-witch covered her mouth with both hands. And then, just as quickly as they had appeared, the two prefects left the Great Hall with Pomfrey right behind them.</p>
<p>As soon as the doors slammed shut behind the medi-witch, a wave of concerned murmurs filled the hall. The students’ worries grew louder and louder until the noise had reached a sharp roar of panic. Something terrible had happened, and they were all speculating what it could be.</p>
<p>“Silence!”</p>
<p>Dumbledore’s voice cut through the sound like a well aimed <i>Sonorus</i>. He stood up from his spot in the middle of the staff table and looked down at the crowd, the usual twinkle in his eye replaced with something far more hostile.</p>
<p>“There is no need for this panic,” he assured them, although it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of that. “Madame Pomfrey has simply been called away for a minor medical emergency. I expect you all to maintain your composure as you finish your meal.”</p>
<p>Pansy looked thoroughly unimpressed. “As if anyone was ever calm after being told to remain calm,” she muttered. “This is basically the troll announcement all over again.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Hydrus bitterly agreed. “And if I recall correctly, that troll nearly killed my sister.”</p>
<p>“Do you think there’s been another petrification?” Draco asked them. He’d begun looking up and down each of the tables, almost as if he was check to see if everyone he knew was accounted for.</p>
<p>Hydrus frowned. He hoped that wasn’t the case, but he couldn’t think of much else that would upset a trained medi-witch like Madame Pomfrey so much. “Most likely,” he conceded.</p>
<p>“Maybe it was Lockhart,” Pansy said, trying to sound hopeful about the possibility even though her heart clearly wasn’t in it. “After all, he never did show up to dinner.”</p>
<p>Hydrus cautioned a glance over to Professor Lockhart’s usual seat and saw that it was indeed empty. He thought it a bit odd since Lockhart was always at meals unless he’d recently been pranked, and there hadn’t been any pranks pulled on him recently. Perhaps Pansy was right. The false heir might have finally escalated to attacking professors.</p>
<p>“Well,” Draco drawled, “if one were to pick a teacher that they knew with absolute certainty they could best in a fight…”</p>
<p>“It doesn’t really fit with the other attacks though, does it?” Hydrus realized. “Lockhart mentions being a pureblood in pretty much all of his books. It might be the only honest thing in them.”</p>
<p>Draco shrugged. “Maybe the culprit made an exception for Lockhart? I mean, it’s not as if he’s a well liked professor.”</p>
<p>“Neither is Professor Snape, though,” Pansy reminded him, “not outside of Slytherin anyway.”</p>
<p>“No one in their right mind would try to attack Professor Snape,” Draco insisted.</p>
<p>Hydrus agreed. He couldn’t picture anyone being stupid enough to challenge Professor Snape, except perhaps Lockhart or Dumbledore. His reputation might be for Potions, but according to Father, Snape had been one of the best fighters among the Death Eater ranks.</p>
<p><i>Penelope Clearwater and Kevin McNaulty are missing from the Ravenclaw table</i>, came Hermione’s panicked voice. <i>They’re both muggle-borns, and Penelope’s one of our prefects. No one’s seen them since this afternoon.</i></p>
<p>Hydrus sucked in a sharp breath. <i>This is getting out of hand. Someone needs to do something about this false heir.</i> Turning to Pansy and Draco, he informed his friends: “It was two muggle-borns in Ravenclaw. Hermione’s just told me.”</p>
<p>Pansy gasped, while Draco had gone a bit green.</p>
<p>“At this rate,” Pansy began with a loud gulp, “all the muggle-borns will be petrified before the end of the school year. And who’s say they won’t go after the half-bloods next? Or wipe out entire houses?”</p>
<p>“If the school isn’t closed down before they get that far,” Draco added ominously, sounding genuinely worried that such a thing might happen.</p>
<p>Hydrus chewed nervously on his lower lip. “I wonder if that woundn’t be the more merciful thing to do at this point. Closing the school, I mean.”</p>
<p>“It most likely would be,” Draco reluctantly agreed. “Still, I really hope it doesn’t come to that.”</p>
<p>Hydrus and his friends finished their dinner in a tense silence. Knowing that the attacker was out there with no one looking for him and no plans of stopping filled the children with a combination of worry and helplessness. There was no telling who would be next or when it would happen. All they could do was continue their own investigation and hope it would be enough.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>The mood in Ravenclaw Tower had been a somber one ever since the announcement that Penelope Clearwater and Kevin McNaulty were found petrified not too far from the library. While everyone had felt some level of sympathy for the other victims, it was different when it was two of their own. It was more personal this time, more jarring, now that they knew for certain that the culprit had no qualms about targeting those in blue and bronze.<p>The heavy, depressed silence that had fallen over the Ravenclaw common room reminded Hermione of a funeral. She’d only ever gone to two funerals, and both had been with the Grangers while she was still quite little, but the solemn lethargy that pervaded every aspect of every attendee’s behavior had stuck in her mind all too clearly. Everyone was still alive and functioning but only at the dullest setting. They simply lacked the energy to feel anything but loss.</p>
<p>Rather than fall into despair like so many of her housemates, Hermione had thrown herself into her research. She was certain that if she could figure out how the attacks were being carried out, she’d be able to find the culprit. At the very least, it would narrow down her list of suspects. She currently wasn’t ruling anyone out except by age, as she didn’t think anyone younger than a fifth year would be capable of doing this. And she wasn’t just looking into students. Several teachers and the headmaster were on her list as well.</p>
<p>But such research was easier said than done. Like the headmaster had said on Halloween, malicious Dark magic was to blame for the petrifications. Information on such magic was nearly impossible to find within the walls of Hogwarts. Dumbledore and the librarian Pince claimed that the library’s Light bias was for the safety of the students, but this orchestrated ignorance was proving to be just as dangerous as anything a student might learn from one of the countless banned books. How could the students defend themselves if they didn’t know what the threat was?</p>
<p>Eventually, after hours upon hours of pouring over books and notes, Hermione had a breakthrough. Remembering something from the only one of Lockhart’s books that he hadn’t put on the curriculum, she skimmed her copy of <i>Galavanting With Gorgons</i> until she found what she was looking for. The third chapter had dedicated several paragraphs to the effects of the Living Statue Curse.</p>
<p>While it certainly wasn’t what gorgons used to turn their victims to stone as they had no need for Latin spells, the end results were quite similar. Both the gorgon’s stare and the Living Statue Curse caused the victim’s body to go perfectly rigid, and, after prolonged exposure, could quite literally transfigure the poor, petrified person into stone. The only small mercy was that it rendered the afflicted person unconscious, though they continued to breath until the curse reached their lungs.</p>
<p>Hermione hadn’t believed it was a real curse at first simply because she didn’t think Lockhart was smart enough to know about something like that, but, after some digging, she was able to find that it was both real and had a most gruesome history. Everything she read was identical to what had happened to happened to Mrs. Norris and the four students. It was incredibly advanced Dark magic that had been globally outlawed due to the slow death it inflicted. The fact that someone would perform this curse on children only made the actions of the so-called Heir of Slytherin more heinous.</p>
<p>“Do you mind if I sit here?” asked a voice like windchimes. “You’re the only person here without a head infested with wrackspurts.”</p>
<p>Hermione didn’t have to look up to know it was Luna Lovegood who had approached her. “Sure, Luna,” she replied, her nose still buried in her research.</p>
<p>The two girls sat on one of the common room couches in companionable silence. Hermione continued scribbling down notes from <i>Galavanting With Gorgons</i> while Luna read <i>The Quibbler</i>. Were it not for Luna’s magazine being upside-down, the scene might have passed for normal Ravenclaw behavior.</p>
<p>“You’re looking into the petrifications, right?” Luna asked after a while. Not bothering to wait for Hermione’s response, she told the older girl: “You should consider sharing your findings with the Prince. He’d be most interested in your research.”</p>
<p>“The Prince?” Hermione repeated, one eyebrow arched in skepticism. She still hadn’t quite mastered Luna-speak and had no idea what the girl was talking about.</p>
<p>Luna nodded. “Oh, yes. He’s been working tirelessly all year to put a stop to the fraud.”</p>
<p>Hermione assumed that “the fraud” must be Luna’s name for whoever it was masquerading as the Heir of Slytherin, though, admittedly, she thought it a better fit for Professor Lockhart. “And how exactly do I find this Prince?” she asked slowly.</p>
<p>“It’s quite simple, really. You just need to go to the stomach of the castle and seek out his familiar deception.” Lowering her voice to nearly a whisper, she added: “He’ll be wearing a face you’ve seen before.”</p>
<p>Hermione’s brows knit together in confusion as she tried to discern Luna’s meaning. “Face you’ve seen before” had to mean that she already knew the person, but what could possibly constitute “familiar deception”? And just where was the stomach of the castle?</p>
<p>She turned to ask Luna for more clarification, but the girl had already disappeared. Groaning, Hermione added the strange comments to her notes. Perhaps a bit of time and researching would reveal the mystery.</p>
<p>“Psst, Hermione!”</p>
<p>Hermione glanced up to see Fred and George making their way towards her, plopping down on either side of her on the couch.</p>
<p>“We heard some of what Luna said to you,” George confessed, looking a bit sheepish.</p>
<p>Fred nodded in agreement. “And our consciences won’t rest until we tell you what we know.”</p>
<p>“And what might that be?” Hermione asked, eyeing them warily. Had they witnessed one of the attacks? Seen something they shouldn’t have? And if they had, why were they telling her? Why not confide in one of their professors? Surely an adult would be more capable than a twelve year old.</p>
<p>George sucked in a sharp breath. “We think we know who Luna’s Prince is,” he explained.</p>
<p>“Noticed it ages ago, but we didn’t think anything of it,” Fred added, wincing slightly.</p>
<p>“It’s not like we want to pry into our professor’s personal lives or anything.”</p>
<p>“And we didn’t think it’d be right to go spreading it around either.”</p>
<p>“We’re not much into gossip anyway.”</p>
<p>Hermione pursed her lips. As much as she liked the Weasley twins, they had a tendency to take too long to get to the point. Couldn’t they stop it with the twin speak just this once and give her a straight answer?</p>
<p>“Who are you talking about?” she asked before either twin could continue with their non-answers.</p>
<p>Fred and George looked at each other and then at Hermione. “Professor Snape,” they admitted in unison.</p>
<p>“Professor Snape?” Hermione questioned. “What makes you think he’s this Prince guy?”</p>
<p>“Well, the thing is Professor Snape’s name doesn’t show up as Severus Snape on the Marauders Map,” George explained.</p>
<p>“Instead, it reads as Severus Prince,” said Fred.</p>
<p>“We figured he must’ve gotten married or something.”</p>
<p>“But was too used to being called Professor Snape to bother correcting anyone.”</p>
<p>“Or was trying to keep the whole thing secret.”</p>
<p>If Fred and George were right about their hunch, then this was a surprisingly straightforward clue by Luna’s standards. It had taken Hermione ages to figure out that Goat was Dumbledore, nargles were bullies, and wrackspurts were negative thoughts and energy. It was almost anticlimactic that Prince was just Severus Prince.</p>
<p>Regardless, Hermione wasn’t even going to bother trying to figure out how Luna somehow knew Professor Snape’s real last name when she didn’t even after having seen him around Malfoy Manor several times a week all summer. Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa had never once mentioned it, and they were the Potions professor’s closest friends. It must indeed be a secret like George had guessed. After all, hadn’t Snape been a spy during the last war? He might still be trying to keep his old cover just in case.</p>
<p>“And this year,” Fred continued, “our assumptions were proven right.”</p>
<p>George nodded. “You see, someone called Regulus Prince started showing up on the map. He was always in the dungeons or Professor Snape’s quarters.”</p>
<p>“We figure that must be who he married.”</p>
<p>“I guess they’re not trying to keep it all hushed up anymore.”</p>
<p>Hermione’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. If there were two people with the surname Prince showing up on the map, then could it be possible that Professor Snape wasn’t who Luna had meant? This Regulus Prince character was just as likely to be the one investigating the false heir. Besides, why else would this previously unknown husband of Snape’s start showing up on the map the same year that the attacks on muggle-borns started?</p>
<p>Perhaps this Regulus Prince character was an Auror or some other DMLE employee. It could very well be the case that Professor Snape was giving his husband information on the attacks so that the proper authorities could involved in spite of Dumbledore’ insistence that everything was fine. </p>
<p>That had to be it! Professor Snape was Luna’s Prince, and the familiar deception was either the fact that he keeps his real last name a secret or that he’d been covertly giving information to someone in law enforcement for months now. And if the Potions professor was the Prince, then the stomach of the castle must lie in the dungeons.</p>
<p>“In that case,” Hermione told the twins, “I need to go see Professor Snape immediately.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>Notes in her bag and <i>Galavanting With Gorgons</i> grasped tightly in her left hand, Hermione sped down to the dungeons as fast as she could without getting in trouble for running in the halls. She hadn’t rushed anywhere this fast since she was a first year worried about making a bad impression by being late to class. But, with four students petrified and the attacks occurring more and more frequently, she couldn’t afford to waste time. If only she was permitted to floo from her common room to the dungeons instead of being made to journey halfway across the castle.<p>As Hermione made her way down a fourth floor corridor in search of a staircase interested in taking her downward, she noticed how unusually empty the castle seemed to be. She supposed it was yet another side effect of the petrifications. Slytherin and Hufflepuff had implemented a buddy system, but neither Ravenclaw nor Gryffindor had done so. Instead, they spent as much time hidden away in their respective towers as they could. </p>
<p>The more of the castle she saw, the more Hermione was coming to regret her decision to head to the dungeons alone. It was too quiet, too eerie, and the way the shadows flickered and danced along to the rhythm of the torches’ light kept making her worry that she wasn’t truly alone. Each step forward sent her wanting to run back, unease mounting ever higher as she strayed further from her common room.</p>
<p>A long, strained creaking sound caused the fine hairs on the back of Hermione’s neck to stand on end. She turned around in search of who or what might have made the noise.</p>
<p>“Hello?” she called out. “Is someone there?”</p>
<p>“<i>Mobilicorpus!</i>”</p>
<p>Hermione was yanked several inches off the floor by some invisible force. She tried to fight it, to reclaim some tether to the ground, but to her horror, she couldn’t move at all. Even her mouth was no longer hers to control. All she could do was float there like a puppet, waiting for her puppeteer to command her strings.</p>
<p>“I should have known you’d figure it out eventually, Ms. Lestrange,” said the too calm voice of Professor Lockhart.</p>
<p>Slowly, her captor crept out of the shadows. The heels of his boots clicked rhythmically against the stone floor as he approached her, each <i>clack</i> spiking Hermione’s pulse until she feared her heart might burst. He was still dressed in the same overly flamboyant robes he taught in, but his expression had hardened into a terrifying scowl.</p>
<p>“No one else ever suspected that it might be me behind the attacks,” he told her, his wand mere inches from her face. “Not even Dumbledore has figured it out. He fancies himself an expert on reading people, but he fell for the foolish celebrity act just as thoroughly as everyone else.”</p>
<p>Hermione might have gasped if she were able to control her mouth. Never in a million years would she have guessed he was the one claiming to be the Heir of Slytherin. His name hadn’t even made it onto her list of suspects! Why in Merlin’s name did he think she suspected him? And what was going to happen to her now that she knew?</p>
<p>Lockhart picked up Hermione’s copy of <i>Galavanting With Gorgons</i>, which had fallen out of her hand when his spell took hold. “This is exactly why I didn’t include this particular book in curriculum,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t usually repeat any of my material, but using the legend of Slytherin’s monster far too tempting. All I needed to do was petrify a few students, frame one of the Slytherin students, and then pretend to save the day. It’ll make an excellent book, don’t you think? And the best part is I’ll only have to Obliviate the victims this time!”</p>
<p><i>This was all for a book deal!?</i> Hermione thought, wishing she could scream it at him instead. Dread and disgust twisted in her stomach as his words echoed through her head. Was this how all of his books had come about? Staging attacks and wiping memories so people would only ever remember him as a hero? How many lives had he destroyed in the name of making money?</p>
<p>“Everything was going so smoothly until you and your little band of friends decided to get involved,” Lockhart sneered. “I knew from the very first day that you’d be nothing but trouble, that you’d lead other students into that same trouble. You’re too clever for your own good, always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong—just like your father and uncle. They too had their suspicions about me, but they got theirs in the end.”</p>
<p>Hermione’s breath caught in her chest. Had Lockhart done something to Father and Uncle Lucius? Or had he arranged for someone else to go after them? She was sure that, if she were able, her hands would be shaking with fear. She’d only just gotten her family back. She couldn’t lose them already.</p>
<p>“I was thinking of using you as the scapegoat, you know,” Lockhart admitted with a chuckle, “but you’ve figured out too much. Instead, I think I’ll make you a victim and let your brother take the fall.”</p>
<p><i>NO!</i> Hermione tried to shout, but her mouth wouldn’t obey her.</p>
<p>
  <i>Hermione? What’s wrong?</i>
</p>
<p>The twin link! Relief flooded through Hermione at the sound of her brother’s voice. She might not be able to stop Lockhart, but she at least still had a chance to make sure her attacker’s identity was known.</p>
<p><i>IT’S LOCKHART!</i> she screamed through the twin link, hoping desperately that her brother would hear her. <i>HE’S THE FALSE HEIR!</i></p>
<p>Professor Lockhart pointed his wand at her chest and cried: “<i>Statuam Viventum!</i>”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Unspeakable Prince</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the kids meet unspeakable prince</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i don't own harry potter<br/>2. sorry for the delay. i had both a work emergency and a minor medical emergency (i'm fine now) over the past few days</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hydrus doubled over in pain as his sister’s shouts tore through his mind, nearly falling off his bed and startling Draco and Theo—who had been sitting on his bed with him while they worked on their Charms homework together. He’d never heard Hermione sound so panicked before, not even during last year’s troll incident. It set off a panic of his own, his heart pounding in his chest as he worried over what might have happened to her.</p><p>“Are you alright?” asked Theo, his eyes bulging with alarm for his friend.</p><p>“I am, but Hermione isn’t!” Hydrus exclaimed, still clutching his head in his hands. “We need to get Professor Snape! Lockhart’s behind the attacks!”</p><p>Draco looked like he had a million questions, but he wisely decided against asking any of them for the sake of saving time. “Professor Snape should be in his office,” he informed Hydrus. “We can go now.”</p><p>Hydrus didn’t even bother confirming their plan before storming out of the second year boys’ dormitory. Draco and Theo ran after him, wearing matching concerned expressions. Had Hydrus been in a more rational state of mind, he might have felt bad for not doing a better job of explaining what was going on. Right now, though, he didn’t care one bit. Hermione needed his help.</p><p>He rushed through the common room and down the corridor, ignoring his friends’ shouts to slow down. He wasn’t going to slow down until he knew Hermione was going to be okay. If his friends couldn’t keep up, that was their problem.</p><p>As soon as he saw the entrance to Professor Snape’s office, Hydrus skidded to a halt and started pounding his fist hard against the closed door. “Professor Snape! Open up! It’s an emergency!” he cried between knocks.</p><p>Draco and Theo had caught up with Hydrus by the time Professor Snape opened his office door. The professor regarded the three students with mild concern, but he didn’t partake in their flustered urgency. If anything, he looked more curious than genuinely worried.</p><p>“Come in then,” said the Potions master, gesturing for them to follow him inside, “and tell me about this emergency.”</p><p>The words came spilling out of Hydrus’ mouth before the door even clicked shut behind him. He told Professor Snape and his friends about what he’d felt panic from Hermione before he’d even heard her claims about Lockhart, what his sister had said, how she’d stopped responding to him immediately after that, and his concerns that she’d been petrified. By the time he finished explaining everything, he was even more winded than he had been after running all the way to Snape’s office.</p><p>After a startled silence, Professor Snape took a steadying breath and decided: “In that case, I think I’ll call the Aurors. It’s high time they got off their lazy arses and did something about this.”</p><p>Hydrus was taken aback, but not because of how easily Professor Snape had believed him or because the usually proper man had just sworn. There was something slightly off about the Potions master, something a little too upbeat and unguarded. It was made even stranger by the nature of their conversation. Why on earth would Snape pick now of all times to act less dour?</p><p>A quick glance to each of his friends let him know he wasn’t the only one who noticed the odd change. Theo looked thoroughly confused, and Draco was staring wide-eyed at his godfather with the same worried expression one might have upon facing a boggart. Was this their professor’s version of feeling relieved to know the false heir’s identity, or was there something else going on that they’d missed? Could it be possible that he’d inhaled potion fumes that made him act a bit funny?</p><p>Just as Professor Snape was about to toss a pinch of floo powder into the floo, a tall, middle-aged woman with auburn hair stepped through, walking into the office with purpose. She gave off the aura of being someone powerful and important, as well as someone Hydrus wouldn’t want to mess with.</p><p>“Amelia, what perfect timing,” Professor Snape greeted the woman, his voice taking on an uncharacteristically emotive quality. “I was just about to call you! We have witnesses to—”</p><p>But Amelia—who Hydrus had since learned was Madame Bones, director of the DMLE—wasn’t paying any attention to Professor Snape’s words. Instead, she was staring at Hydrus and his friends with a curious look on her face, like she didn’t quite know what to make of them being there. They didn’t quite know what to make of her being there either.</p><p>“How much do they know?” Madame Bones asked Professor Snape, her gaze not once leaving the children.</p><p>Professor Snape arched an eyebrow at that. “Only that Lockhart is behind the petrifications,” he replied slowly.</p><p>Madame Bones’ eyes widened ever so slightly at the revelation. “Is he? Well, I suppose we can add those charges once we get back to the Ministry.”</p><p>“We?”</p><p>As if on cue, a regal looking black wizard in Auror robes and a gold earring stepped gracefully through the floo and into the room beside Madame Bones. Right behind him came Tonks, who tripped over seemingly nothing and stumbled into the Potions master’s desk.</p><p>“Sorry about that,” Tonks said, a slight blush on her cheeks as she straightened herself out. “I was a different height this morning, and I still haven’t readjusted to my normal legs.”</p><p>Hydrus repressed a snort. He didn’t think she’d ever gotten adjusted to her normal legs in the first place, not if her clumsiness was anything to go by.</p><p>“Aurors Shacklebolt and Tonks are here to bring in Lockhart on suspicion of…” Madame Bones trailed off, pursing her lips in uncertainty as she thought of the right wording, “his involvement in the case you and I have previously discussed.”</p><p>Professor Snape’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Truly? I was so certain it was… our main suspect who was responsible for that.”</p><p>“We have proof of <i>his</i> guilt in other, far more serious matters,” Madame Bones assured him.</p><p>“Very well then. Let’s get a move on, shall we?”</p><p>“Excuse me,” Draco interrupted, not bothering to hide his exasperation, “but what in Merlin’s name is going on?”</p><p>“The culmination of a near decade long investigation into crimes against magic,” Professor Snape said in the sort of tone one might use to describe the weather.</p><p>Draco’s eyes went wide. “A decade?”</p><p>“Crimes against magic?” Hydrus cautiously repeated.</p><p>In lieu of a reply, Professor Snape’s appearance slowly began to change. He grew a little shorter and a little stronger, and his nose shrank and straightened. Greasy, limp black hair hair became cleaner, longer, and curlier. But it was his eyes that made Hydrus gasp, the way the unreadable onyx melted into shining quicksilver. This man, whoever he was, had the Black family eyes.</p><p>“UNCLE REGGIE!”</p><p>Hydrus barely had time to process Tonks’ shout before she launched herself at the imposter Snape. The two of them fell to the ground with a dull thud, with Tonks half crushing the familiar looking stranger.</p><p>“How? Why?” Tonks asked him, her expression a mix of shocked and overjoyed. “Everyone thought you were dead! My mum was so distraught! We even had a funeral for you.”</p><p>The stranger awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” he joked, though he looked apologetic. “I was in a coma for a few years, and by the time I woke, I’d already been declared dead. Only the Unspeakables and Severus knew the truth.”</p><p>“I suppose this means paperwork will need to be filed to prove you weren’t murdered over a decade ago,” Madame Bones said in a somewhat strangled voice.</p><p>The stranger waved her off. “No, between the goblins and the Unspeakables, all of that should already be taken care of. I will, however, need to name my would-be murderer before we’ve finished up here today.”</p><p>“Well.” Madame Bones’ voice was tight and clipped. “Alright then.”</p><p>“I know there’s about a million more important things going on right now,” Theo hesitantly began, “but who exactly are you and why were you pretending to be Professor Snape?”</p><p>Hydrus nodded, silently seconding his friend’s question. He wanted answers as well, especially since this stranger seemed so familiar and was almost certainly a Black.</p><p>“Unspeakable Regulus Black-Prince at your service,” he said with a slight bow. “Also known as Uncle Reggie to those of Black blood. As for why I was going around as Severus, well, that’s still classified information.”</p><p>At the utterance of the man’s full name, Hydrus realized why this supposed stranger looked so familiar. He’d seen him in the Mirror of Erised, in the memories from the Potters’ will, and on the family tapestry in Grimmauld Place.</p><p>“You’re Sirius’ brother, right?” Hydrus asked even though he already knew the answer.</p><p>Unspeakable Prince—or rather, Hydrus supposed, Uncle Reggie—smiled at him. “Yes, Sirius is my older brother, as hard as that may be to believe due to how immature he acts.”</p><p>Draco snorted, while Tonks responded with: “Immature but fun.”</p><p>“If we could get back to the matter at hand,” Madame Bones sternly interjected.</p><p>“Right. Of course,” Uncle Reggie quickly agreed. “Let’s go arrest Lockhart.”</p><p>As the adults sprinted out of the room in pursuit of the Defense professor, Draco murmured: “Uncle or not, he never answered any of my questions.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Hydrus realized, suddenly finding himself annoyed. “I still want to know what he meant by crimes against magic.”</p><p>Theo just shook his head. “Well, no one ever said that adults know what they’re doing.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>While the adults went out in search of Professor Lockhart, Hydrus and his friends decided to go to the Hospital Wing so that they could be there when Hermione arrived. They collected Pansy from the common room and Ron from the Hufflepuff dormitories, and departed for their journey to nearly the complete opposite end of the castle. It was a long, mostly uphill (or rather, up too many flights of stairs) journey that would be terrible for a sick student to make, but luckily, the students’ anxieties about Hermione’s safety allowed them to speed toward the Hospital Wing at a record pace.<p>“Lockhart of all people,” Ron had muttered, shaking his head. “Do you reckon he was faking being an idiot this whole time?”</p><p>Hydrus shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure,” he admitted. “I mean, he was a little too believable at being incompetent.”</p><p>“Maybe he’s only good at a couple of spells, and he uses those ones a lot,” Pansy suggested. “He probably is that incompetent the rest of the time. Either that, or he’s the best actor I’ve ever seen.”</p><p>Theo nodded in agreement. “I’ll bet every single one of his books was him pretending to be a monster and then getting credit for supposedly saving the day after.”</p><p>“Either that, or he’s doing something to the real heroes and taking credit for their work,” Draco added darkly.</p><p>The rest of the trek to the Hospital Wing was filled with a creeping sense of dread after that particular conversation. Even though they had their memory charm repelling bracelets now, there was no telling what they or other students at the school might have been made to forget about Lockhart and his attacks on the students—if he hadn’t used something even more malicious than that on them. There was no telling how many people had fallen victim to his tricks and spells at Hogwarts, let alone for the entire duration of his book career.</p><p>Before they even entered the Hospital Wing, Hydrus and his friends heard a number of anxious voices speaking in hushed tones inside. Someone, he realized, must have already found Hermione and brought her here.</p><p>“...so tragic, you know. If only I could have been there sooner…”</p><p>Hydrus froze when he heard Professor Lockhart’s voice among the whispers. Had that bastard decided to make himself look good by “finding” Hermione petrified? There was no way Hydrus would be able to see him near his sister and not outright attack him for what he did to her. His hands began to shake with rage at the mere thought of confronting the Defense professor after what he’d done.</p><p>“I’m sure you did the best you could, Gilderoy,” Dumbledore replied in a grandfatherly voice. Hydrus could imagine he’d even patted Lockhart on the shoulder, almost as if he was consoling the monster.</p><p>Draco nudged Hydrus in the side. “Do we still go in with <i>him</i> there?” he nervously whispered.</p><p>“Of course,” Hydrus replied easily, despite his mounting sense of doom. “My sister’s in there, too.”</p><p>With only a bit of hesitation, Hydrus and his friends entered the Hospital Wing. Inside were the usual beds with curtains drawn to hide the petrification victims. All had been given their privacy except for Hermione, who was still very much out in the open with a circle of professors around her. She was too still compared to everyone standing around her, reminding Hydrus more of a corpse than a living victim.</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t bear seeing his sister’s frozen form. He’d only just found her a year ago, and the thought of losing her again made his heart ache. He wanted to yell and rage and go after Lockhart himself to get revenge, but instead, he found himself nearly as still as Hermione. He couldn’t make his feet walk him closer to her, couldn’t even open his mouth to say something. All he could do was stare in horror and despair, his hands shaking and chest constricting too tightly for him to properly breathe.</p><p>“Mr. Lestrange? Oh, you poor dear.”</p><p>Hydrus barely registered that Madame Pomfrey was speaking to him. Her voice sounded so distant, so foreign, to his ears.</p><p>“Do you need a Calming Draught?” she asked him gently.</p><p>“I… I don’t think so,” he finally managed to say, his eyes still on Hermione. He couldn’t imagine a Calming Draught fixing how he felt. After all, it wouldn’t restore his sister’s condition. It would only delay his inevitable breakdown.</p><p>A sturdy hand landing on his shoulder snapped Hydrus from his stupor. He looked at the obviously adult hand and then followed up the arm to see its owner: Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. “It’ll all be okay soon enough, young man,” Lockhart pretended to assure him.</p><p>Hydrus saw red as he yanked himself free of the Defense professor’s grasp. He whipped his wand out of its holster and aimed it at the man’s chest. “Just give me a reason!” he shouted.</p><p>Professor Lockhart put his hands up halfway like a television crook in a low-budget made-for-T.V. movie. He didn’t look at all rattled by the wand being pointed at him, but rather, was acting almost as though he’d expected it.</p><p>“I understand that you’re upset about what happened to your sister, Mr. Lestrange,” Professor Lockhart said in an attempt at a soothing voice, “but this behavior of yours won’t bring her back.”</p><p>“And neither will you!” Hydrus accused, his expression morphing into a scowl and his wand hand remaining steady. “She told me you were the one petrifying students!”</p><p>Professor Lockhart shook his head. “Oh, you poor boy,” he said dramatically. “You must be confused in all your grief. Your sister can’t tell you anything at all right now.”</p><p>“My dear boy—” Dumbledore began with a disappointed frown.</p><p>But whatever he had wanted to say was cut off by the sharp yell of: “<i>Incarcerous</i>!”</p><p>Madame Bones, Uncle Reggie, and Aurors Tonks and Shacklebolt stormed into the Hospital Wing, wands drawn and no-nonsense expressions on their faces, as Lockhart was trussed up in chains like a Christmas turkey ready to be roasted.</p><p>“Gilderoy Lockhart,” boomed the baritone voice of Auror Shacklebolt. “You’re under arrest for the November 1981 assault and psychological imprisonment of Frank and Alice Longbottom.”</p><p>Hydrus’ jaw dropped. Lockhart? <i>He</i> was the one to put the Longbottoms in the Janus Thickey Ward? Not Dumbledore? Hydrus had barely come to accept that the idiot was capable of pulling off the petrifications. Attacking the Longbottoms and getting away with it for eleven years seemed an impossible feat for a man who could barely handle a class of twenty students and waited until students were alone before attacking them. </p><p>Lockhart snorted, acting as if he found the whole idea just as ludicrous as Hydrus would have just a few hours before. “Are you quite alright, good sir?” he asked Auror Shacklebolt in an overly showy voice. “The Longbottoms’ attackers have been in Azkaban for over a decade.”</p><p>“Frank and Alice have their memories back, and they both insist you were their attacker,” Madame Bones informed him. “The Lestranges are being released from Azkaban as we speak.”</p><p>“That’s impossible!” Lockhart exclaimed. He looked and sounded surprised, but Hydrus could see the fear in his eyes, reminiscent of a cornered animal on the defense.</p><p>“Now, now,” said Dumbledore in a calm voice that didn’t at all fit the situation, “I’m sure this is all some kind of mix-up. Are you certain the Longbottoms named Lockhart and not someone else? Perhaps one of Voldemort’s Death Eaters?”</p><p>“We’re absolutely certain,” Madame Bones stated. “The Longbottoms have even given us copies of their memories from that night as evidence.”</p><p>“I’m sure we can get to the bottom of this without treating Gilderoy like some sort of danger to society,” Dumbledore insisted, his grandfatherly mask cracking into something more desperate.</p><p>“That’s exactly what he is,” spat Tonks as she aimed her wand at Dumbledore. “And so are you. Albus Dumbledore, you’re under arrest for the August 1981 attempted murder of Regulus Black, the October 1981 attempted murder of Tom Riddle, and the October 1981 murders of Lily and James Potter.”</p><p>All of the students and Madame Pomfrey gasped at the accusation. The medi-witch’s wand flew into her hand, and she took on a wide stance, almost as if she was preparing to defend her Infirmary.</p><p>“And that doesn’t even include the charges we plan to file in regards to your involvement in the Lestrange twins’ disappearances,” Auror Shacklebolt added, pointing his wand at Dumbledore as well. “<i>Incarcerous</i>!”</p><p>Dumbledore deflected Shacklebolt’s spell with a shield charm, and then hit Tonks with a stunner that sent her flying into the wall with a dull thud. </p><p>Everyone drew their wands—with the exception of Lockhart, who was still tied up—and aimed them at Dumbledore. Even the students had their wands at the ready in case the headmaster decided to attack one of them next, or worse, tried to use them as a hostage.</p><p>“It’s over, Dumbledore,” Madame Bones told him. “We have you outnumbered.”</p><p>“Yet I have you all out-classed,” he replied calmly, still brandishing his wand. “I will not, as they say, come quietly.”</p><p>“<i>Stupefy</i>!” shouted Auror Shacklebolt.</p><p>Dumbledore deflected the spell with ease. “You’ll need to do far better than that, Kingsley, if you’re to have any hope of bringing me in.” He geared up to cast a spell at Auror Shacklebolt, only to change direction at the last second—sending bright red stunner toward the children.</p><p>“<i>Protego</i>!” Hydrus cried, forming a shield just in time to protect himself and his friends.</p><p>Dumbledore glanced around the room to see the enraged expressions of everyone around him, and then, without another word, he disapparated on the spot.</p><p>“I thought Hogwarts had anti-apparition wards,” Auror Shacklebolt said as he stared at where Dumbledore had just been, his brows knit together in confusion.</p><p>Madame Pomfrey shook her head. “The headmaster is the only one who can apparate in or out of the school,” she explained.</p><p>“Then there’s a chance he’s somewhere else in the school,” Madame Bones realized.</p><p>She sent a Patronus to call for backup while Auror Shacklebolt and Uncle Reggie grabbed Lockhart to take him back to the Ministry. Madame Pomfrey, meanwhile, rushed over to revive Tonks and check her for possible injuries. And all the kids just stood around, startled and more than a bit overwhelmed by everything that had happened.</p><p>In a matter of minutes, a dozen Aurors had joined Madame Bones for her search party. They all stormed out of the Hospital Wing, both hoping and fearing that Dumbledore was still hiding somewhere in the castle. He was to be considered armed and dangerous, Madame Bones had told all of them, and he’d already proven that he wasn’t above attacking students.  </p><p>“Going after children, and in my Hospital Wing no less,” Madame Pomfrey tutted as she forced Hydrus and his friends all into hospital beds. “I think a round of Calming Draughts for all of you would be a good place to start.”</p><p>Not wanting to further agitate the medi-witch, Hydrus got into the bed and nodded along to everything she said. The last thing he wanted was for her to turn her barely contained anger out on him.</p><p>“No offense, mate,” said Ron matter-of-factly once Madame Pomfrey was out of hearing distance, “but please don’t invite me on any sort of adventure ever again. No one’s ever going to believe me when I say what happened here. It’s just too nuts!”</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t help but agree. He’d been there to witness everything, and even he had a hard time believing what had just occurred.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry if there were any mistakes in there. i'm still loopy from the emergency room drugs</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Janus Thickey Ward</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>time to meet the parents</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i don't own harry potter<br/>2. i spent 15 or whatever fucking years thinking there was an 'r' somewhere in janus thickey ward but wikipedia says i'm incorrect???</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the course of the next few hours, the real Professor Snape returned with the Mandrake Restorative Draught, Madame Pomfrey revived the petrified students, and Professor McGonagall was declared emergency headmistress until a time where the Board of Governors could vote to make the change official. The Aurors didn’t find Dumbledore anywhere on the school grounds, but asked McGonagall to update the wards so that he couldn’t come back. He’d already tried to attack one student, they had reasoned, and there was no telling if he’d try to do it again.</p><p>As soon as Hermione had been revived, she hurriedly explained what happened to her and how Professor Lockhart was the culprit—only to be told by Madame Pomfrey that Lockhart had been arrested and taken into Ministry custody only an hour earlier. If she had been surprised by this turn of events, she didn’t show it. Instead, she demanded details from her brother and their friends.</p><p>This, of course, led to explaining that Dumbledore had been charged with murder and attempted murder. Hermione had been disappointed to learn that he’d gotten away, but relieved that naming him as the culprit could finally bring some closure—especially in regards to the Potters, who were among the most widely celebrated of the former headmaster’s victims.</p><p>“I can’t believe that utter <i>bastard</i> had the audacity to try and act like he had some sort of authority in your life after what he did to the Potters,” Hermione loudly lamented when her brother’s tale had ended.</p><p>Hydrus, who couldn’t remember ever hearing his sister swear before, gaped at her response. “Yeah, well,” he began as he tried to recover from the slight shock, “it’s not like it’s news to any of us that he’s got some kind of god complex.”</p><p>Once the Aurors’ search of the castle had concluded and the previously petrified students were well enough to move about on their own, Professor McGonagall called Hydrus and Hermione up to her office. She was still using her old office for now, as she hadn’t yet had the chance to pack up and move to the headmaster’s office, but there was still plenty of space among the comfy chairs and tartan blankets for both students to sit down.</p><p>It was the arrival of Neville Longbottom just a few minutes later that caught them off guard. The twins had expected that this meeting was about what had happened with Lockhart and Dumbledore, none of which Neville had witnessed. They wondered why he’d been asked to join this meeting, and by the wary look on his face, he was wondering the same thing.</p><p>“In just a few minutes,” Professor McGonagall told them, “the three of you will be picked up by your guardians and taken to St. Mungo’s Janus Thickey Ward.”</p><p>All three children looked at one another, confused.</p><p>Professor McGonagall ignored their confusion and pressed onward. “Mr. Longbottom, I am pleased to inform you that your parents are lucid and communicative for the first time in eleven years. They’ll soon be on their way to a full recovery.”</p><p>Neville gasped. He looked like he was about to cry, but he blinked furiously to keep the tears from falling. “I… are you sure, Professor?” he asked, his voice hardly more than a whisper.</p><p>“Indeed I am,” Professor McGonagall gently assured him. “Our very own Professor Snape was able to coax them out of their minds via legilimency just this morning. Upon returning to themselves, however…” she trailed off hesitantly as she tried to find the right words to say. “Well, it seems as though the wrong people were sent to Azkaban in the aftermath of their attack. In fact, one of the first things Frank and Alice said was that it was Gilderoy Lockhart who had come after them that night.”</p><p>This part came as less of a shock to Hydrus and Hermione than it did to Neville, as the twins had heard some form of that particular explanation from the Aurors and each other. It still felt surreal, though, and Hydrus wasn’t sure he’d be able to fully accept that his parents would be found innocent until he saw them in person.</p><p>“L-L-Lockhart?” Neville repeated, shaking from nerves and fury in equal measure. “You’re saying I’ve been sitting in class with the man who attacked m-my parents for m-months?”</p><p>Hydrus’ stomach lurched at the realization. Not only had Neville had been face-to-face with his parents’ attacker all this time, but Hydrus and his sister had been sitting through lectures taught by a man who at best let their parents and Uncle Rabastan take the fall—and at worst may have framed them for the whole thing.</p><p>Professor McGonagall smiled sadly. “Yes, Mr. Longbottom, I’m afraid so.”</p><p>Neville clenched his fists, but didn’t say anything more.</p><p>“That brings us to why you’re here, Mr. and Ms. Lestrange,” Professor McGonagall continued, turning her attention to the twins. “Your mother, father, and uncle have all been released from Azkaban Prison, and have been moved to St. Mungo’s so that they may recover from their wrongful imprisonment.”</p><p>Hydrus gave a terse nod. He remembered the protocol well enough from Sirius being freed the year before. They would all need general healing in the short term, as well as mind healers and nutrient potions for months to come.</p><p>“I wonder how many times we’ll have to go through this,” Hermione wondered aloud, sounding rather somber. “That’s four people in our family who’ve been convicted of crimes they didn’t commit.”</p><p>“The DMLE is looking into all convictions from the later 1970’s and early 1980’s to see if there were any others who were wrongfully imprisoned,” Professor McGonagall informed them. “Barty Crouch and Alastor Moody’s records have also been called into question, as they were involved in all four wrongful convictions.”</p><p>That didn’t necessarily make Hydrus feel any better. Instead, he worried about all the other potentially innocent people languishing in Azkaban for all these years just because a few people in the Ministry wanted to do away with Dark wizards. Sirius had once confessed that he didn’t think he’d ever be the same after his imprisonment. How many others had suffered for years without cause? How many of those would continue to suffer even after they were freed?</p><p>“Good,” Hermione said simply. “After all, Crouch sent his own son to die in Azkaban without any proof of wrongdoing.”</p><p>‘That he did, Ms. Lestrange. That he did.” Professor McGonagall agreed, looking quite sad all of a sudden.</p><p>There was a bit more talk about the logistics of the Longbottom and Lestrange joint visit to St. Mungo’s after that, as well as catching Neville up on Dumbledore’s crimes and his fleeing the castle to avoid arrest. Neville was quite understandably upset about that, given that he came from a prominent Light family that had worked together with Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix during the war with Voldemort. At one point, he’d even asked if Dumbledore had anything to do with what had happened to his parents, and hadn’t reacted too well when Professor McGonagall admitted that she didn’t know. It was far too much betrayal in one day for a twelve year old boy to handle.</p><p>Neville’s grandmother arrived before Hydrus and Hermione’s guardians, and proceeded to apologize profusely to the twins, insisting that she should have somehow known better than to believe the Lestranges were guilty. Hydrus found the whole display rather off-putting, but, after a nudge in the ribs from his sister, accepted whatever it was Regent Longbottom was going on about to the best of his abilities. </p><p>After that, Regent Longbottom started railing against Lockhart. She’d always thought he’d been exaggerating in his books, she told them, but she never would have guessed the man capable of the horrific attack against her Frank and Alice. Professor McGonagall tried to assure her that no one had seen it coming, but this only served to make Regent Longbottom insist that she should have tried harder to get to the bottom of things instead of blindly trusting the DMLE. According to her, the DMLE and other Ministry officials were just as bad as the Death Eaters back in the day—if not worse.</p><p>Luckily for everyone else in the room, Madame Longbottom’s rant against the DMLE was cut short by Sirius strolling into the room nearly ten minutes after the agreed upon time. He looked disheveled, with his muggle shirt a bit wrinkly, hair in a messy bun, and big sunglasses to hide his dark circles. Professor McGonagall started to admonish him for his appearance, but for some reason stopped when Sirius mentioned that the previous night had been a full moon.</p><p>“Alright! Let’s get this party started!” Sirius exclaimed once all the adults were off his case about his appearance.</p><p>Professor McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose, annoyed. “Must you be so cavalier about this, Sirius? Need I remind you that your relatives have just been released from Azkaban and into long-term hospital care?”</p><p>Sirius shrugged. “Yeah, and St. Mungo’s is a hell of an upgrade from all of that. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a cause for celebration.”</p><p>No one dared to disagree with him. After all, there was no arguing with a statement like that.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>The Janus Thickey Ward smelled faintly of potions and cleaning supplies, but it lacked the cold, sterile atmosphere of most of other hospital wards—making it far more conducive to long-term stays. Patients were permitted to put up posters and photographs in their rooms, which were furnished like dormitories and had dressers and nightstands and beds that were more comfortable than hospital cots. They even had a sun room at the very end of the ward that had board games, puzzles, and other assorted activities for the patients who were well enough to enjoy them.<p>Despite all the ways in which the Janus Thickey Ward was more inviting than a typical hospital ward, it wasn’t the sort of place anyone wanted to reside in or visit. Its shallow attempts at coming off as a more homey long term care facility rubbed Hydrus the wrong way, and, if it weren’t for the lack of bars on the doors and windows, he might have mistaken it for a muggle prison. There were still numerous restrictions on when patients could eat, have visitors, go to the sun room, and even leave their rooms. No amount of decorations or motivational signs in the hallways could make up for the lack of freedoms granted to the patients.</p><p>“Do you find this place a bit unnerving?” Hermione whispered to her brother.</p><p>Before Hydrus had the chance to respond, Neville admitted: “It still gives me the creeps, and I’ve been coming here a few times a year for as long as I can remember.”</p><p>“I think it’s the stillness,” Hydrus added. “It’s so stagnant and quiet here, especially compared to the rest of the hospital.”</p><p>“That’s a good way of putting it,” Neville decided after a moment’s consideration.</p><p>The adults had begun talking to a receptionist and one of the healers, but Hydrus was only half listening. He already knew that it would take a long time for his parents and uncle to recover. There was no need to for the lengthy descriptions of their treatment plans. He just wanted to see his family.</p><p>Hydrus wondered what rooms they might be in, and if any of them were together. Would Dad and Uncle Rabastan want to share a room, or did they need some time apart after being just a few cells away from each other in Azkaban? Did Mum still want to spend time with them? Or with anyone else in her family? Everyone said she’d always been an overly affectionate sort, but there was no telling how her imprisonment might have affected her in that regard. What if Azkaban did so much damage that his parents didn’t know how to love him and Hermione anymore?</p><p>“Alright, pups. It’s time.”</p><p>Sirius’ hand on his shoulder brought Hydrus out of his worries and back to the present moment—just in time for the receptionist to lead them back to the sun room. The receptionist seemed oddly chipper, practically skipping as she relayed to Hydrus and the rest of the group how the Longbottoms’ recovery was nothing short of a miracle. Were he not so wrapped up in his worries over whether he’d be accepted by his family, Hydrus might have thought the woman was acting in an unprofessional manner.</p><p>The sight awaiting them in the sun room was something few could have ever expected, but somehow, after everything that had happened over the past decade, it almost made sense. Two brown haired men with dark blue eyes who looked to be about ten years apart in age sat at the far table playing wizard’s chess while chatting with a dark haired man who had Neville’s facial structure. All three men were rather subdued, but they wore matching tentative smiles, as if they cautiously optimistic about their current situation.</p><p>Sitting on one of the couches were two women who couldn’t have possibly looked more different. The one on the left had a sandy blonde pixie cut and a round, friendly face with ruddy cheeks and an upturned nose. The woman on the right, meanwhile, had long, black curls—save for a single gray streak that framed her face—and an angular face with high cheekbones and a pointed chin. They both looked incredibly happy to be spending time with one another, if the arms they’d thrown around one another’s shoulders were anything to go by.</p><p>“It’s so surreal,” Neville said, his voice laced with both confusion and wonder. “I’ve spent the last decade being told it was your parents who tortured mine, and now our mums are all but hugging right in front of us like they’ve been best friends the whole time.”</p><p>Hydrus couldn’t help it. He laughed. Neville was absolutely right. It <i>was</i> surreal. Even though he’d had Sirius telling him that his parents and uncle were innocent, it wasn’t as if he’d ever expected that his mother and Neville’s would be close. After all, they’d been on opposite sides of a war that had fundamentally fractured the British wizarding community. Those weren’t exactly the most conducive circumstances for any sort of friendship.</p><p>“It’s definitely not what I was expecting,” Hydrus agreed between chuckles.</p><p>Hermione frowned and nudged both boys in the ribs. “Well, come on,” she told them. “We’ve got parents to meet.”</p><p>The trio barely made it a few steps into the sun room when—</p><p>“MY BABIES!”</p><p>Bellatrix Lestrange jumped off the couch and ran toward her children, pulling them both into a too tight embrace. Hydrus worried he might suffocate from the sheer force of the hug, but did his best to return it with equal enthusiasm. Neville sent a slightly worried glance their way even as he embraced his own mother, though the twins were far too preoccupied with trying to breath through their mother’s boa constrictor hold around them.</p><p>“Hello, um, Mother,” Hermione said awkwardly, sounding a bit out breath as she patted their mother on the arm.</p><p>Their mother frowned at that. “There’ll be none of this ‘mother’ nonsense, young lady. It’s far too cold and proper. You’ll call me Mum, and that’s the end of it.”</p><p>“Alright, Mum,” both twins agreed. </p><p>“Oh, the two of you are just so perfect,” Mum crooned, loosening her hold on her children so she could get a better look at them. “I’ve never seen more wonderful, amazing, incredible little children in my entire life! Rod! Come see our precious babies!”</p><p>Rod—who Hydrus surmised was their father Rodolphus’ nickname—gracefully removed himself from his chess game with the younger man who must’ve been Uncle Rabastan and made his way over to his wife and children.</p><p>“It’s been too long, my sweet little twins,” he told them with a kind smile that lacked any trace of madness. In fact, it was a bit startling just how normal he was. His eyes were clear and his mannerisms polite, if slightly subdued. Were it not for his too thin build and unhealthy complexion, Hydrus would never have guessed that he’d spent the last eleven years locked up in Azkaban.</p><p>Hydrus smiled back at him. “Far too long… Dad,” he agreed, only barely hesitating to call the older man by his proper title.</p><p>At that name, Dad broke down and squeezed his children in an even tighter embrace than Mum had managed. “I’ve waited twelve years to hear you call me that,” he half whispered, not trusting his voice to remain steady if spoke any louder.</p><p>“Please tell me that at least one of you got sorted into Ravenclaw,” said their Uncle Rabastan from over their dad’s shoulder He looked thoroughly terrified of all the emotions going on, his dark blue eyes apprehensive even as he sought to lighten the mood.</p><p>Hermione chuckled at their uncle’s bluntness. “I did,” she assured him. “Hydrus is in Slytherin.”</p><p>“Well, I suppose if he <i>had</i> to be sorted somewhere other than Ravenclaw…” Uncle Rabastan dramatically drawled.</p><p>“Gee, thanks,” Hydrus replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.</p><p>Uncle Rabastan ruffled Hydrus’ hair. “Any time, kiddo.”</p><p>“Oh, don’t listen to him,” said Mum, fixing a glare at Uncle Rabastan. “Everyone knows Slytherin is the best house.”</p><p>“Pretty sure that’s Gryffindor!” interjected Frank Longbottom, earning a supportive clap on the shoulder from his mother.</p><p>“Hell yeah!” Sirius agreed.</p><p>Alice Longbottom rolled her eyes. “Honestly, you’re all too old to still care so much about house pride,” she admonished them. “Al four have their own unique merits.”</p><p>“Spoken like a true Hufflepuff,” Mum told her, not unkindly. </p><p>“Yes, well, one of the houses was bound to produce reasonable people.”</p><p>Hydrus, Hermione, and Neville watched on in amusement as the adults continued to tease one another about Hogwarts house sortings. It wasn’t everyday that one saw two former Aurors, a herbologist, and three marked Death Eaters joke around together, after all, and it made for quite a sight. The whole thing was made even stranger by how naturally it came to them. After fighting on opposite sides of a war and spending a decade imprisoned—some in Azkaban and others in their own mind—it hardly made sense that this camaraderie would come so easily. And yet, in that moment, they might as well have been old friends getting together after spending too long apart from one another.</p><p>“Do you think this is how things could’ve always been?” Neville had asked his friends while their parents laughed together. “If it weren’t for the war, I mean.”</p><p>Hydrus had been wondering the same thing. It was all too easy to imagine it now: in another world, he, Hermione, Neville, and Draco could have all grown up together—happy and healthy and loved. He hadn’t allowed himself to imagine a life like that in years, but now it was all he could think about.</p><p>“I think…” he began, sounding a bit uncertain. “I think it could be our future.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the lestrange twins reflect on all the new changes both at hogwarts and in their lives</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>1. i don't own harry potter<br/>2. this is the end of book 2, but the series will continue soon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Things at Hogwarts improved tremendously with Dumbledore gone. Professor McGonagall had been instated as the headmistress, and so far, she was doing an amazing job. She was firm but fair, and was far more interested in returning the school to its former glory than her predecessor had been. Once upon a time, Hogwarts had produced some of the best educated witches and wizards in Europe. But budget cuts and unfilled posts and two wars had caused their standings to drop. McGonagall, it seemed, was on a one-woman mission to bring everything back up to snuff.</p>
<p>Quite a few electives had been cut over the years. Some had been removed due to trouble finding qualified professors, but others had simply been removed by Dumbledore because they didn’t go along with his political agenda. Finance, Alchemy, Healing, Dark Arts Theory, Dueling, Ancient Rituals, and Comparative Religion had all been removed during Dumbledore’s tenure. While the chances of finding the money and professors to bring back all of those classes immediately was unlikely, Professor McGonagall had allowed the students to vote on the first two they ought to bring back for the upcoming school year.</p>
<p>And so, starting next September, Alchemy and Healing would return to the curriculum as upper level electives. Interviews were already underway, though no one had been chosen as of yet. McGonagall had become understandably wary of anyone who was known to be a Dumbledore loyalist, and had already rejected Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle’s applications for that exact reason. She refused to let her attempts to improve the school be undermined by those who might wish her or her agenda harm.</p>
<p>With McGonagall as Headmistress, there was now an opening for the Transfiguration post. There were rumors that Sirius was being considered for the job, but these were unfortunately nothing more than rumors. Sirius hated the idea of teaching. He was convinced he’d be too disorganized to stick to the lesson plans, and he was almost certainly right. Besides, Headmistress McGonagall claimed she’d rather retire than work with Sirius. No one blamed her at all, not even Sirius.</p>
<p>The real Professor Snape—or rather, Professor Prince—had returned to teach Potions, as well as to help McGonagall smooth things over in his new role as Deputy Headmaster. He’d been pleased to see that Uncle Reggie had followed along with the syllabus to the letter. Knowing that no one’s education had been hampered by an Unspeakable’s attempt at playing professor made it much easier for the Potions master to focus on his new administrative duties.</p>
<p>Professor Prince also admitted to having been married to Uncle Reggie for six years, knowing that he was alive for nine years, and that he’d taken up the Prince lordship and legally changed his surname to his mother’s maiden name around that same time. It was all quite a shock to everyone except for Sirius and Uncle Lucius, who had discovered Uncle Reggie was alive when Gringotts official documents named one Regulus Arcturus Black-Prince as Sirius’ heir. Students, however, cared far less about the whole Regulus Black-Prince thing and were more shocked that someone had actually wanted to marry their gloom and doom Potions professor.</p>
<p>But perhaps the most exciting change—or at least the most immediate one—was the hiring of Remus as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and Gryffindor Head of House. The first werewolf to be hired under the new guidelines proposed by Uncle Lucius, Professor Lupin had been hounded into giving the <i>Daily Prophet</i> a full interview about the positive impact of those new creature-friendly hiring guidelines. All of Wizarding Britain had been abuzz with excitement about the interview when it came out, with quite a number of Wizengamot members patting themselves on the back over the legislation being such a success.</p>
<p>As for the actual accommodations, there wasn’t all that much the school needed to do for Remus to be able to safely teach. He would have to take Wolfsbane each month and some of his classes would need to be covered by a substitute, but otherwise, he would be the same as any other professor. It was strange to think that a potion and a substitute were the only things that had been stopping him from being allowed to teach this whole time. Plenty of other adults needed potions and sick days, and no one had ever stopped <i>them</i> from finding employment. Hydrus was glad it would no longer stop Remus from being allowed to work either.</p>
<p>While some students were unnerved by his creature status, plenty of others thought it advantageous to learn from a Dark creature. Dade was among the latter, and he’d taken to trying to convince the rest of the Gryffindors of his point of view. He had a lot of help from Ginny, Colin, Neville, and Lee Jordan—who had taken to telling everyone who would listen that Remus was “wicked cool”. </p>
<p>Hermione had let it slip to Fred and George about a week into Remus teaching that he was the Marauder by the name of Moony, and that he’d done the bulk of the research for creating the Marauders’ Map. She barely had the chance to get all the words out before the Weasley twins ran directly to his office to quite literally bow down to his pranking greatness. This proved to be the best endorsement Remus could have possibly gotten. While most of the school had no idea what a Marauder was, the knowledge that the Weasley twins respected him as a so-called prank master had made him immensely popular.</p>
<p>By the time of the Leaving Feast, Remus had earned the reputation of best Defense professor Hogwarts had ever seen. He’d managed to correct course from the disaster Lockhart called a class and get everyone caught up on the proper subject material—even the students who had been petrified—and still had time to teach a few things that weren’t on the curriculum. Now everyone in the school knew a spell to repel Peeves, the difference between were-creatures and animagi, and some basic physical defense maneuvers in case someone tried to attack them the muggle way. </p>
<p>“I just hope the Defense post curse doesn’t do anything awful to him,” Blaise lamented during the Leaving Feast. “He’s my new favorite professor.”</p>
<p>Hydrus grinned. He had wonderful news for Blaise. “Didn’t you hear? The Board of Governors decided to take the curse seriously and hired someone to remove it over the summer.”</p>
<p>He had every reason to believe that Aunt Andromeda would be able to remove the curse on the Defense position. After all, his father—who had been the one to put the curse in place—had told her everything she’d need to know to break it. Father considered Remus to be the first competent person to hold the post since he’d placed the curse and wanted him to stick around. That alone ought to be enough to break the curse, he’d explained, but he wanted it removed just to be on the safe side.</p>
<p>Blaise’s eyes went wide with excitement. “Well, it certainly took them long enough. Couldn’t happen to a better professor if you ask me.”</p>
<p>“I actually feel confident that I’ll do well on my Defense O.W.L. with him teaching,” Theo added.</p>
<p>“Why in Merlin’s name are you already thinking about your O.W.L.s?” Draco asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow. “We’ve only just barely finished our second year!”</p>
<p>“Yes, which means we only have three years of preparation for some of the most important important exams we’ll ever take,” Theo reasoned. “It’s important to think about the future, even now.”</p>
<p>Blaise chuckled and clapped Theo on the shoulder. “Never change, you absolute swot.”</p>
<p>“I think you and Hermione are the only two in our year already thinking about O.W.L.s,” Hydrus told his friend.</p>
<p>“Oh?” That seemed to pique Theo’s curiosity. “Do you think she’d be willing to write to me about them over the summer? It would be nice to talk to someone who takes their education as seriously as I do.”</p>
<p>As the young students continued to bicker over whether or not it was too early to care about fifth year standardized testing, Hydrus’ mind wandered to summer plans. Mum, Dad, and Uncle Rabastan had all been released from St. Mungo’s and would be spending a bit of time living at Grimmauld Place with Sirius until Lestrange Manor was habitable. Father, meanwhile, would be living in Slytherin Castle. Hydrus and Hermione would be spending their summer bouncing between not only all of those residences, but also Malfoy Manor and Aunt Andromeda and Uncle Ted’s cottage in Wales. Luckily, Uncle Reggie had decided to be reasonable and agree to come to them instead of the other way around, so they wouldn’t have to worry about making time to visit Prince Manor.</p>
<p>In addition to spending time with family, Hydrus and Hermione had been invited to Longbottom Manor for Neville’s birthday on the thirtieth of July. They’d also been asked to come to the Burrow—which was where Ron’s family lived—for a long weekend once they returned from visiting Ron’s older brother Bill in Egypt, but that had been more of a suggestion than a definite plan. Theo, Blaise, Pansy, and Padma had planned to make plans to visit them as well, but none of the details had been worked out yet. It was shaping up to be quite a busy summer.</p>
<p>When Hydrus had lived with the Dursleys, he hadn’t had any friends. The muggles on Privet Drive and at his primary school had all believed when Petunia and Vernon told them that he was a liar and a freak who needed to be avoided at all costs. But now, he was flourishing. He had a loving family and friends who liked him for him, and he hadn’t had to change a single thing about himself to make that happen. This was where he belonged.</p>
<p>“You alright?” Draco asked, snapping him out of his introspections. “You looked like you were about a million miles away.”</p>
<p>Hydrus smiled at his cousin. “Never better,” he easily replied, meaning every single syllable.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*****</p>
</div>The train ride to King’s Cross Station was an uneventful one, save for the part where Neville’s toad Trevor managed to get loose again. Luckily, the compartment door had been closed at the time, and it only took a few minutes to catch him and wrangle him back into his terrarium. Hermione was grateful. She hadn’t exactly been up for a repeat of their very first time on the Hogwarts Express when Trevor had snuck into their compartment and had to be chased around by an increasingly flustered Neville.<p>Security measures had been increased on the train as a result of Dumbledore still being at large, but for the most part, they didn’t interfere with the students’ trip home. Two compartments had been reserved for professors—one towards the front and one in the back—while a pair of Aurors periodically did rounds on the off chance that the former headmaster had somehow snuck onto the train. Hermione got the impression that they were mostly doing that just so the students felt safer, and that their true concern was the train station. Regardless, they were quiet enough that they hardly interrupted anyone’s trip.</p>
<p>Hermione was sharing a compartment with her brother, Neville, and Ron—all of whom were discussing summer plans. Ron might be going to Egypt, but in all honesty, Hermione thought he had the least exciting summer plans of the four of them. Neville would be helping his mother with the greenhouses, and, if they were able to get everything prepared in time, they were going to brew a potion that would allow him to communicate with Trevor and other toads. From what Hermione gathered, amphibians were one of only a very few classes of animal whose language could be learned, and this potion would make it easier to do so. Neville’s mother had brewed the potion with her mother when she was a little girl, and now that she was out of St. Mungo’s, she could finally continue the tradition.</p>
<p>Much like Neville, Hermione and Hydrus would be spending the summer with their parents for the very first time. Their dad had already sent several letters about the state of both the Black library in Grimmauld Place and the Lestrange library in their manor, as well as personalized book recommendations for each child. Even Draco, Ursa, and Dade had received book lists. Upon hearing about this, Father had begun taking inventory of Slytherin Castle’s library so that he could add a few recommendations to Dad’s lists.</p>
<p>Mum, meanwhile, was going to start teaching them self-defense and weapons training. From what Hermione had heard, Mum was highly skilled in knife throwing, dueling, and hand-to-hand combat. Her abilities with a sword were only average, though, so she’d enlisted Sirius to teach those lessons as he was apparently the most skilled swordfighter in the family. Hermione doubted this was a skill that needed to be utilized very often, but her mum had made quite a few good points about the importance of a well-rounded self-defense education.</p>
<p>“You had better tell me all about it,” Pansy had insisted before they’d gone off to separate compartments, “and maybe even see if your mum would be alright with having another student.”</p>
<p>Hermione didn’t think that would be a problem at all. Her mum would love Pansy. She just knew she would. They had a similar unhinged energy that they were destined to bond over.</p>
<p>A tap on her shoulder brought Hermione back to the present moment.</p>
<p>“You should start getting all your things together,” Hydrus told her. “We’re about to reach the station.”</p>
<p>Hermione looked around to see that Ron and Neville had already started to gather their belongings. It was rare to see Ron so organized and on top of things, but, as he’d told them earlier, he only had tonight to pack for Egypt and wanted to get home as soon as possible so he could get his travel bag together. Hermione didn’t understand why he couldn’t just use his school trunk since it already had everything he needed, but she doubted that bringing it up would lead to him listening to her suggestion. He was quite stubborn like that.</p>
<p>“I don’t know about the three of you, but I’ve got a feeling I’ll be writing a lot of letters this summer,” Neville happily declared as he double-checked to ensure that Trevor’s terrarium lid was securely in place. “I’ve never had so many summer plans to write about before, or so many friends to write to.”</p>
<p>“You’ll have to catch me up when I’m back in England,” Ron replied. “I don’t think our owls would appreciate carrying lots of letters such a long distance. Plus, my family’s owl is quite old. I’m worried the trip might do him in.”</p>
<p>Neville’s eyes went wide. “Oh, of course. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to your owl.”</p>
<p>“It’s too bad the wizarding world doesn’t have telephones,” Hermione mused.</p>
<p>Floo calls might be just as convenient as a phone for communication within the same country, but from what she’d heard from the adults, trying to establish an international connection was a mess of Ministry paperwork and obscure fees. International phone calls could get expensive, but at least you didn’t need to register anything with the government for them.</p>
<p>“There needs to be a better way to communicate long-distance,” Hydrus agreed.</p>
<p>Ron clapped Hydrus on the shoulder. “I’m sure with you and Hermione on the case, we’ll have about a dozen new ways to communicate by this time next year,” he lightly teased, grinning the whole time.</p>
<p>Hermione let out an amused huff. Back at her muggle primary school, she’d been mocked relentlessly for her braininess and her desire to know the answer to everything. While it still happened from time to time at Hogwarts, it was nice that she now had people who appreciated the way she was. Being the top researcher in her group of friends was a wonderful change from the years of being the bossy know-it-all who was shunned by her peers.</p>
<p>“I don’t know about that,” Hydrus admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, our parents have got about a million other things they want to do with us this summer. I doubt we’ll have much time for inventing.”</p>
<p>“Well, there’s always the school year,” Ron said with a shrug.</p>
<p>After the Hogwarts Express came to a stop and they finished getting their things together, Hermione and her friends exchanged their goodbyes. It was an even longer process than last year due to their friend group having once again grown. Draco and Justin Finch-Fletchley refusing to end their most recent political discussion certainly didn’t help the matter. Apparently they both had incredibly strong opinions about whether those raised in the wizarding world ought to take a mandatory Muggle Studies class in first year, and neither wanted to leave until their debate had come to some sort of resolution.</p>
<p>Once they finally managed to pry Draco and Justin apart, Hermione, Hydrus, and their cousins searched the platform for their relatives. What they found was an exact replica of the vision the Mirror of Erised had shown Hermione over a year ago. Mum and Dad stood beside one another, with Father right behind them. Aunt Narcissa, Uncle Lucius, and Ursa were eagerly awaiting Draco’s return, while Sirius and Uncle Rabastan laughed at some joke Hermione must have only just missed hearing. They were all carefree and smiling and happy to see her and her brother. It was everything she’d ever wanted.</p>
<p>“We have parents now,” Hydrus half-whispered beside her, sounding as though this fact had only just sunk in for him. </p>
<p>Hermione had always prided herself on being a highly rational individual, but something about her brother’s words knocked the breath out of her. Even when she was little and the Grangers had still been reasonable towards her, she’d dreamed of someday meeting her real parents. The more powerful her accidental magic became and the less the Grangers wanted to do with her, the more she clung to the hope she would one day have a real family. Now, after all those years of dreaming and hoping, she had a wonderful family waiting for her.</p>
<p>“We do,” she agreed, grinning wider than she ever had in her entire life. “We really do.”</p>
<p>Of all the changes had that had occurred since Hermione learned she was a witch, being reunited with her real parents and becoming a part of a loving family was her favorite one.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>you can expect chapter 1 of book no later than sunday :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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